What is a good, affordable white wine for cooking that I can get at the... - Wine Advice Forums - Wine Buying, Selling, Tasting and Drinking Discussion

jacksonkhb · #1 04-03-2009, 10:48 PM

...grocery store? I don't drink wine, but I want to try some recipes that I normally have in restaurants that call for it.

chefgrille · #2 04-03-2009, 11:06 PM

This will run contrary to a lot of thoughts, but I'm not spending $30 on a bottle of my favorite white only to use it in cooking. There are perfectly drinkable whites for a lot less. My current white I use for cooking is Bella Sera pinot grigio in the little 4 pack of little bottles. One is the perfect size for sauces and risottos. It's about $6 for that little 4 pack and perfectly acceptable, and you're not stuck with a huge open bottle if you don't intend on drinking it with what you're cooking.

pepsi · #3 04-04-2009, 12:00 AM

There's no need to spend a load of money on wine for cooking as the cooking process burns off the alcohol anyway. A reasonably priced wine such as table wine will do the trick but it depends on the dish you are cooking. If it's something like Spag Bolg then it doesn't matter what quality wine you chose but if it's something more delicate with a shorter cooking time than I would spend a bit more on the wine.

bschneid · #4 06-02-2009, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonkhb

...grocery store? I don't drink wine, but I want to try some recipes that I normally have in restaurants that call for it.

The wine you choose to cook with depends on the meal you are actually cooking. If a recipe calls for a dry white wine, I would try the Sauvignon Blanc, you can find cheap bottles of this white wine. If the meal you are making has bold or spicy flavors I would try a Gewurztraminer, Riesling, or a Viognier.

Let me know if that helps!

ranebo1000 · #5 12-01-2010, 12:18 AM

First rule of cooking with wine: never cook with anything you wouldn't drink. Cooking bad wine just intensifies the bad flavor.

That being said, I usually use whatever the recipe calls for, sweet or dry. I like an oaky Chardonnay such as Clos du Bois as my dry standard, and Colombo Marsala for my sweet. If the recipe has a suggestion, use it. The flavor won't be the same if you substitute.