Photo: William O’Quinn |
An old adage related to cooking with wine is to never use a wine in a recipe that you wouldn’t drink on its own. Of course, in the realm of food manufacturing, this doesn’t apply, since denatured wines used as industrial ingredients are rendered undrinkable as a result of added salt.
Wine used in the cooking process not only adds flavor, substance and rich tones, but also adds to the price point. Wine-based applications often are most effective for the center of the plate, but can also enrich sides, as well as desserts. Wine serves as a key ingredient in sauces, where it is reduced to the point where the alcohol is eliminated and the flavor is left, creating a perfect accompaniment or a base upon which to build.
Like pairing wines with meals, different wine ingredients accent some types of applications better than others. Lighter, fruitier whites like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Sancerre work well with desserts, fish, poultry and certain sides. Reds like Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Merlot are best in meat and game dishes, heartier sides, and certain dessert applications—particularly those with chocolate. Port, brandy and sparkling wines favor dessert applications because of their sweeter notes, but are also good in certain poultry dishes and sides. As with anything, experimentation is the key to success. Wines used in cooking can make or break a dish.
Therefore, it is best to rely on taste rather than doctrine. There are a few tips to keep in mind when venturing down the cooking-with-wine road. The composition of the wine, whether tannic, oaken or corked, as well as its body and general flavor notes, all play a part in how the finished application will taste.
Therefore, seasoning is paramount to enhancing, complementing or augmenting the flavor of the wine. The consistency, flavor, quality and texture of a dish’s main ingredient should help influence the proper wine for the job.
