Cooking with Wine

Cooking with wine is the technique of using wine as an ingredient to add acidity, aroma, fruit, tannin and complexity to a dish. Wine may be used to deglaze a pan, build a braising liquid, flavour a sauce, poach fish or enrich a marinade. The type of wine and the point at which it is added affect the finished flavour.

Choosing the right wine

Use a sound, drinkable wine with a flavour profile that suits the dish. It does not need to be the same expensive bottle served at the table, but it should not be oxidized, faulty or excessively sweet unless the recipe specifically calls for that style. Avoid products labelled “cooking wine” if they contain added salt or other ingredients that make seasoning difficult.

White wine in cooking

Dry white wine adds acidity and freshness to seafood sauces, risotto, poultry, vegetables and cream-based preparations. It is often used to deglaze a pan after sautéing shallots or fish, then reduced before stock, cream or butter is added. High-acid whites can help balance rich sauces, but excessive reduction can make the acidity too sharp.

Red wine in cooking

Red wine contributes colour, tannin and dark-fruit or savoury notes to braises, stews, reductions and sauces for beef, lamb and game. It is commonly used to deglaze a pan or added to a braising liquid with stock and aromatics. Strongly tannic or heavily oaked wines can become bitter or astringent when reduced aggressively.

Reduction and alcohol

Wine is often reduced to concentrate flavour and integrate its acidity with the other ingredients. Alcohol does not disappear instantly or necessarily evaporate completely during cooking; the amount retained depends on time, temperature, surface area and method. Consider this when preparing food for guests who avoid alcohol.

Example: deglaze a pan with dry white wine for a fish sauce, or use red wine in a braising liquid for beef short ribs.

Chef’s tip: add wine at the stage where its flavour can integrate, reduce carefully and taste before adding further acid or salt. Do not reduce a heavily tannic or oxidized wine until it becomes concentrated and harsh.