When a recipe calls for "1/4 cup of dry white wine" or "1 cup of medium bodied red wine", do you know what kind of wine to use? Most people have no idea where to start and they either skip the wine altogether in their recipe or they just grab whatever wine has a pretty label. But you don't have to feel overwhelmed anymore! In this episode, I go over the basic tips for shopping for a wine to cook with as well as the specific wines I recommend using in recipes that call for white wine, medium bodied red wine, full bodied red wine, and fortified wines!

Up first are my 4 tips for cooking with wine.

1. Quality Matters. If you aren't willing to drink it, you shouldn't cook with it!

2. Don't buy any wines that are labeled as "cooking wine"! This is a marketing tactic to get rid of cheap wine!

3. Wine needs about 60-90 minutes to completely cook out of food. So keep in mind that if you only simmer your sauce for about 15 minutes, most of the alcohol content will still be in your dish.

4. Use the wine you plan on drinking with dinner as your cooking wine! Sounds simple, but it's the best way to ensure your food and wine will pair perfectly!

Check out my latest blog post thewineceo.com/blog to get my "cooking with wine" overview that you can save to your phone for the next time you go shopping!

Here are my top recommendations by varietal:

If a recipe calls for a dry white wine, try using Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Below are some of my favorites:

Ruffino Pinot Grigio, Venezia

Tesoro Della Regina Pinot Grigio

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Matua Sauvignon Blanc

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc

If a recipe calls for a medium bodied red wine, try using Tempranillo or Chianti (Sangiovese is the varietal). A few of my favorites are:

Tenuta Di Renieri Chianti

Villa Antinori Tuscan Red

Banfi Chianti Classico

Montecillo Rioja Crianza (Tempranillo)

Campo Viejo Rioja Riserva (Tempranillo)

If a recipe calls for a heavy red, try a Syrah/ Shiraz or a Cabernet Sauvignon. Try one of the below:

Montes Alpha Syrah

Penfolds Shiraz

Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon

Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon

If a recipe calls for a fortified wine, try using Sherry, Maderia, or Marsala. Some great options include:

Osborne Pedro Ximenez Sherry

Sandeman Madeira

Florio Marsala

I hope this was helpful! If you learned something new, please write me a review on Apple Podcast or Facebook so that more folks can find my show! Thank you!