What’s your go-to secret ingredient? We might be biased here at Bonterra, but for us it is definitely wine. A well-timed splash of wine can elevate a humble weeknight dish to a sophisticated dining experience, bringing depth, complexity and balance to a wide range of recipes. Bonterra’s organically grown, sustainably produced wines include a range of approachable options as delicious for cooking as they are for drinking.
Like any other ingredient, the character of the cooking wine we use matters, and we have to choose carefully in order to achieve the flavors and aromas we want in our cooking. Here are some of our top tips for transforming your cooking with just the right wine!
The Role of Wine in Cooking
Before we get into specific suggestions for cooking with wine, let’s discuss why cooking wine makes food more delicious. When we add wine to a recipe, it shares with our food the unique colors, aromas and flavors we enjoy when we’re drinking it from a glass. Layering those delicious elements on top of the recipe’s own character builds greater complexity and depth.
The acidity of wine also provides a helpful boost to the other flavors in the dish. We like to think of a splash of wine the way we would a squeeze of lemon over fish – its fresh lift can help us taste everything else more intensely. Often, we add wine to deglaze the pan we’ve been using to brown our protein or vegetables, which also helps dissolve the delicious caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and incorporate those satisfying, rich flavors into the food itself.
In some recipes, though, wine makes up a large percentage of a sauce or stew (think about a savory dish like beef stew). Here, the wine’s texture and acidity can help produce a luscious sauce and even tenderize meat. When we plan to cook or marinate protein in wine, though, we usually remove the alcohol beforehand by boiling it several minutes; alcohol can cause meat to become tough or stringy, offsetting the tenderizing effect we want.
Best Red Wines for Cooking
For us, the most versatile red cooking wines are ones with juicy fruit flavors, balanced acidity, soft tannins, and only a gentle oak influence. Wines with powerful tannins or lots of oak aromas tend to dominate a recipe and throw it out of balance. This is why you’ll find us reaching for Merlot and Pinot Noir most often in the kitchen. Additionally, exploring red blend wines can offer a balanced choice, merging the best traits from multiple varietals.
Merlot’s generous fruit aromas and rich, soft textures lend themselves beautifully to most hearty braised stews or red wine sauces. We love Merlot in braised short ribs, Italian ragù, lamb stews, Bordelaise sauce, beans or lentils, and just about any slow-cooked tomato sauce.
Pinot Noir is our choice for lighter recipes like seared pork loin, or red wine sauces with fish or vegetables, where the grape’s delicate flavors and silky texture will match the subtle nuances of the dish. While heartier recipes can sometimes overwhelm Pinot’s finesse, lighter dishes allow both wine and food to shine.
Best White Wines for Cooking
With white cooking wines, we tend to look for varieties that have good acidity, a light to medium body, and not too much oak influence. Our favorite wines for cooking tend to be Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris because we want wine to enhance, not dominate our recipe. Some Chardonnays (although not Bonterra’s!) have a lot of oak flavor that can change the flavor profile of a dish dramatically.
If we’re wanting to add a crisp, acidic boost to our cooking, we usually reach for Sauvignon Blanc. These wines are fantastic in dishes like seafood stews, simply seared chicken or pork chops, light soups, steamed mussels, and vegetable sautés.
For dishes where we want a less intense citrus flavor and softer acidity, we love to bring in Pinot Gris. This wine’s subtle aromas are ideal for poaching fish, making beurre blanc sauce, or adding depth to pasta recipes based on butter or olive oil.
Tips for Selecting Wine for Cooking
There are three key things to keep in mind when picking a wine for your recipe.
Match Wine to the Dish: If you’re cooking a rich, savory dish with a dark colored sauce, choose a red wine with similar intensity and body to match. For rich and creamy light-colored sauces, reach for a creamy white wine like Chardonnay. With dishes that are not so rich, choose a wine that matches its level of intensity and texture.
Avoid Tannic, Oaky or Sweet Wines: Wines with powerful tannins or intense oak aromas can often overwhelm a recipe, so we recommend avoiding these wines when cooking. Sweet wines can be fantastic in certain recipes, but disastrous in most savory preparations. So unless your recipe tells you to use a sweet wine, we recommend choosing a dry one.
Using What You Drink: Many chefs say you should never cook with leftover wine that you wouldn’t be happy to drink, and we agree! Cook with wines you enjoy drinking. This ensures that you’ll be adding only flavors you like to your food – and it makes picking a glass to enjoy with your meal a no-brainer. You’ve already got the right bottle open!
Popular Dishes and Wine Pairings
There are thousands of recipes that involve cooking with wine, but here is our shortlist of the most popular ones to get you started.
Coq au Vin: This is a classic of French country cooking, bringing together mushrooms, bacon, pearl onions, and bone-in chicken braised in a hearty red wine sauce. With all those deep, meaty flavors, we recommend using a full-bodied red wine like Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon or Bonterra Merlot to create a rich, robustly flavored sauce.
Creamy White Wine Sauce: Pasta primavera, Alfredo sauce, and seafood Newburg are all deliciously decadent creamy sauces that benefit from a splash of white wine. We recommend using Bonterra Chardonnay or Bonterra Pinot Gris to lift these sauces to new levels of elegance.
Red Wine Reduction for Steak: The intensely concentrated flavors of a red wine reduction sauce make a beautiful complement for savory, well-seared steak – whether we’re cooking beef or cauliflower. Because the wine reduces so much, it’s important to choose a red without too much tannin, like Bonterra Merlot or Bonterra Pinot Noir.
Do you have a favorite wine-based recipe? Are you looking for new inspiration? Share all your questions and cooking adventures with us on social, and join our community of food and wine lovers!
Add the Best Flavors to Your Dishes with Bonterra
Incorporating the right wine into your cooking can transform everyday dishes into gourmet experiences, and Bonterra wines are the perfect choice for enhancing your meals. Whether you’re creating a rich pan sauce, tenderizing meat for a hearty beef stew, or adding a splash of white cooking wine to your favorite recipe, Bonterra’s organic winery offers a range of delicious options to elevate your cooking process. Explore our full collection at Bonterra and bring the vibrant flavors of Bonterra wines to your kitchen. Join our wine club for exclusive releases and quarterly wine deliveries right to your door. Buy wine online, and add your new favorite Bonterra wine to a delicious meal. Cheers to cooking with the best wine!
