Wanting to spice up your cooking?
Or should we say “zest up,” as white wines are the perfectly crisp, fruity beverage you can cook with!
Often white wines get pulled out at celebrations to drink with a nice meal, rather than in one.
But white wines can be used for cooking too! For example, they add the perfect finish to a roast chicken base or the perfect acidity to a carbonara.
Today, your wine delivery Melbourne will go through the best white wines for cooking and how you can make the most of the white wines that you have sitting in the cupboard (besides drinking them, of course!)
Why use white wine for cooking?
When thinking of wines you can use to cook with, reds might generally come to mind.
Most commonly, a nice shiraz for a spaghetti bolognese or a cabernet sauvignon for a gravy on lamb shanks.
But white wines have great benefits, too, and can complement a variety of other dishes.
While reds are generally used for tomato-based or brown gravy based dishes, white wines generally get used for creamy dishes, including casseroles and even a panna cotta dessert.
You don’t have to keep to these confines though, as whites can also go well with a variety of different passata-based dishes, while reds can often add a hearty twist to your quiche or cannelloni.
You can also make your meals tastier with our tips on wine food pairings.
Can you use any white wine for cooking?
You’re probably wondering how to choose a cooking wine; can you use just any? Should you look for expensive or cheaper wines? Or green or more yellow whites?
If the recipe you’re following indicates adding the white wine in during the earlier steps, then most of the main components of that particular wine will be lost.
Therefore any white wine will do, as it doesn’t matter what notes or flavours the wine has when you drink it; they will dissolve during cooking.
The Babbling Brook wine for instance, is one of the more affordable wines you can purchase if you’re looking for white wine online, and can be used in many types of recipes.
But, if the recipe calls for the addition of the wine towards the end of the cooking process – to finish the dish, or if you prefer to endure some particular flavours that the wine has, then you can do some research on what goes well with that particular dish.
Having said all that, here are some white wines that’s flavour might not complement a lot of savoury dishes.
For example, a lot of white wines can often have an oaky flavour that arises during long fermentation in oak barrels.
Oaky flavours can become bitter when heated up, taste buttery, and will likely not compliment your cream of mushroom soup.
Some white wines can be manufactured as dessert wines and can often be overly sweet. This can not only add unnecessary sweetness to your dish, but can also create a caramelisation effect.
And while this might be great for a french onion soup, it might not be ideal for a beef stir-fry.
Sweet wines are great to add to desserts.
Keep your favorite wines fresh and tasty with our simple tips on how to store wine. It’s easy to do and ensures your wines last longer.
Which wine is best for cooking?
The obvious answer to this question is that it depends on what you’re cooking.
But some of these things are also important to consider when considering what white wine to purchase for your dish:
- How oaky it is – some wines are labelled as unoaked which are preferable
- If the wine gets used in the finish or towards the start of the cooking process
- If the wine will be boiled or broiled
- How sweet, dry, or crisp the wine is
- How acidic the wine is
- The flavours and palette of the wine – try tasting it before you add it in
- The alcoholic content of the wine
A moderate alcohol content (between 10-13%) is ideal, as any higher would take too long to reduce.
High acidity is preferable because of its tenderising effect; it is the main component for white wines in cuisines.
We go through the main types of white wine and what we recommend you cook with them.
Learn the simple tricks of making your meals more flavorful with our guide on how to cook with wine. It’s an easy way to take your cooking to the next level.
Sauvignon blanc
White wine sauvignon blanc is the second most popular white wine for drinking… but how does it fare as an important cooking ingredient?
Well, sauvignon blancs are most commonly used in creamy marinades, seafood dishes, or with gravy or sauce for roasted veggies.
Marsala
The chicken marsala is a famous Italian-American dish that is impossible to not mention when talking about cooking with White wines.
This dish uses dry marsala to create a syrupy sauce to go with chicken breast.
You can also make or save the marsala sauce to go with other meals like roast ham.
Carbonated wine
Champagne, chardonnay, prosecco, and any other sparkling wines are perfect when making dressings, such as a champagne vinaigrette, or desserts, like sorbet.
Unoaked chardonnay is important to remember, as chardonnay can often be very oaky generally.
For savoury dishes, sparkling wines are great for cream sauces for chicken, risotto, and soup.
Pinot grigio
Pinot grigio wine is a very neutral wine, making it the most versatile. This means it’s hard to make the mistake of using this wine in almost any dish.
Where can I buy wine for cooking?
I Like Wine Sells red and white wine for cooking, as well as dessert wines, and a huge range of other alcoholic beverages
I Like Wine is an Australian online wine store that stocks a huge range of wine, beer, and spirits such as whisky from all over the world.
We have a list of online wine sales, whether you’re looking for a particular wine online for an upcoming dinner party or are searching for a wine to use in your dish. We also sell a number of hard-to-find drops that you might not find anywhere else, such as the Gaetano D’Aquino Chianti.
We offer free delivery for purchases over $300*, and have a $10 flat rate* for delivery when you buy six bottles or more.
*Excludes Northern Territory, WA Country
Start shopping now, or if you have any questions regarding the topic: buy wine online australia, feel free to get in touch with us online.
