How to pick the right dry white wine for cooking?

dry white wine for cooking

All the tasty meat and vegetable dishes need a little wine. Dry white wine is the usual choice specified by all the recipes. However, you cannot pick up any random bottle, particularly the ones labeled “cooking wine.” Choose dry white wine for cooking to add taste and acidic content. Do not select a wine based on its ability to impart sweetness. So, how to pick one? Cook delicious food using these top-notch varieties and add vitamins, magnesium, and calcium to your diet.

https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/best-wine-2019

Picking the right dry white wine for cooking

  1. The wine you pick should taste good for sipping too. A low-quality wine is not cooking wine. It could ruin the entire recipe.
  2. The cooking wines for shellfish, seafood, and meat should not have sweetness. The best ones for such dishes are Chardonnay, Viognier, Viura, and others.
  3. For chicken sauces and gravy, choose stronger varieties like Chardonnay.
  4. If you are cooking a fattier fish, choose Pinot Grigio to add an acidic touch to the dish.
  5. Herbal dry white wines are right for vegetable dishes. While adding wine, make sure to add extra lemon and butter to create a balanced taste.
  6. For non-alcoholic variants, choose white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice.

Choose the right dry white wine for the right dish – a guide

Pinot Gris: rich and dry white wine for cooking

It is a spectacular Italian variety with great flavor. It is a rich and spicy drink with a viscous texture. Its counterpart, Pinot Grigio, is also fresh, crispy, and spicy to the tongue. You can use both these blends in preparing tasty seafood. They add delicious fruit and flowery aroma to the dishes.

The Pinot wines are also best for over-roasted chicken recipes. You can also use them with grilled or seared fish. These famous dry wines are best for cooking meaty fish, chicken, and rich veal. They also add the necessary crispiness to lamb, foie gras, and pork dishes.

See also  Looking to buy used appliances? Find shops for recycle electronics near me

Sauvignon Blanc: popular, crispy French variety

This classic white wine has a herbal and floral flavor. It is an all-purpose variety that is more acidic than the Pinot wines. It is the preferred dry white wine for cooking tasty vegetable dishes. The blend adds a fantastic, fruity dimension to the recipes.

Sauvignon Blanc is also a good option for new cooks and chefs. It is one of the friendliest wines for cooking a variety of dishes. You just have to splash the wine in the saute pan and deglaze. It matches well with artichokes, fresh peas, zucchini, and asparagus. It also pairs well with soft cheese, spicy and herbal sauces. But, be careful and choose a bottle with less than 13% alcohol for good health.

Picpoul de Pinet: textured and aromatic wine

This wine is one of the oldest and exclusive wines from the Mediterranean region. The full-bodied Pinet has gold-green color and lemony flavor. These aromatic wines have a light, dry finish along with a tangy taste. They are the ultimate choice while cooking a variety of seafood and shellfish recipes.

https://www.upstateramblings.com/cooking-with-wine/

This wine is excellent for cooking grilled chicken, and stir-fried rice noodles called pad Thai. It also cuts through the fattier fish and brings a refreshing taste. The Pinet matches exceedingly well with oysters, crabs, clams, sushi, and mussels. It also pairs well with sauerkraut, fish stew, scallops, avocado, and prawn brochettes.

Vinho Verde: Portuguese dry white wine for cooking

This green wine comes from the fertile, lush, seaside valleys of Portugal. Like the Pinot and Pinet varieties, it is also an excellent option for seafood. It has a crispy, dry, fresh, and slightly fizzy quality. The Verde pairs very well with pork recipes, Thai food, sushi, and other spicy dishes.

The wine is a newcomer, but it got quickly accepted into the shelves of food connoisseurs. They recommend it with mango salsa, ceviche, teriyaki bowls, and cilantro-lime chicken. You can also enjoy it with fish tacos, California rolls, and a variety of harvest vegetable dishes.

Chenin Blanc: a versatile and classy grape

The Chenin Blanc brings tropical fruitiness to the cooked dishes. This historical blend is semi-dry, light, and has fresh acidity. Its partly-fermented and matured taste pairs well with vegetable and chicken dishes. You can match it with creamy chicken entrees and pungent, rich cheeses.

See also  Danny Mcbride Net Worth: Money, Laughter, and Success

The wine is best for sauteeing a rich array of vegetables. It is also an excellent choice to balance yogurt, cheddar, and goat cheeses. You can use it for cooking potato-chicken squash or curry, salads, and desserts. It is also the right choice for pork, duck, cabbages, cauliflowers, and carrots.

Colombard: well-crushed, affordable blend

The Colombard is a stalwart grape blend with global acceptance. It has rich flavors like almond, lemongrass, honeydew, white apple, and peach. It is a fantastic dry white wine for cooking seafood and shellfish. The tart and mouth-watering taste of this blend enrich the shrimps and oyster foods.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/white-wine-substitute-1388898

The wine pairs well with chilled soups, clams, crabs, and lobster. You can also add it to make fried chicken, green salad, fried fish, and chicken salad. The wine matches well with sour and sweet sauces and gives a unique flavor to Asian, Mexican, Thai, and Oriental recipes.

Gruner Veltliner: an exotic flavor from Austria

This variety is available in grapefruit, green pepper, and lime flavors. This rich wine is famous for its acidic quality too. You can cook the Austrian Wiener Schnitzel using this wine. It pairs well with poultry, pork, and diverse fishes like sardines, trout, haddock, and anchovies. The wine is perfect for cooking spicy dishes of Mexico and India. You can make tasty curry, chili, and a host of other spicy Asian dishes. It does not mix well with tomato sauces but can enrich pasta dishes, risotto, and seafood.

Viura: fortified dry white wine for cooking

Viura, also known as Rioja Blanco, is creamy and aromatic. Its citrusy and fruity blends are ideal for cooking gravies, cream sauces, and meat dishes. You can use it to serve delicious noodle bowls and coconut curries. It matches very well with cooking shellfish, garlic prawn, grilled squid, and fish.

The Viura is a stylish choice for preparing Spanish and French dishes. It also pairs well with grilled corn and a variety of cheeses. You can serve it with whole meals like risotto, pesto, fried frittata plate, and yummy soups. It is one of the best options for cooking spicy Indian food, tapas, and roast fish.

These are not the only dry choices you have for cooking. You can also rely on Chardonnay, Dry Vermouth, and Viognier blends. Also, the Chinese Rice Wine, along with Verdicchio and Verdejo, are excellent options. Ultimately, you have to pick a wine based on the type of food and recipe. And make sure its acidity and flavor intensity match the dish.