wines to cook with

[arabesque]

Which wines,red or white, is best to cook with when cooking meat,fish,poultry,etc.? When do you use a dry wine to cook with? What are some moderately priced name brand wines,red and white,to use when cooking?

[Innkeeper]

Hi Arabesque, and welcome to the Wine Board. The standard answer is to use the wine you are going to drink at the meal. I rarely do this, except to deglaze a pan with a fourth cup or less. I usually use a journeyman red Port or dry Vermouth (white) for cooking. When a lot of wine is needed as in Beef Bourgignone, I get a less expensive version of the wine I will drink with it. If you don't choose to use Port and Vermouth, you might go with a steady Chilian brand such as Concha Y Toro Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc. These will not stay in good shape after opening as the fortified wines (Port and Vermouth) will. If you use them or other table wines, plan a finishing the bottles, kept in fridge with cork in, within a week.