good red wine for cooking

[SETH885315]

ok, i'm trying my hand at making different tomato sauces this week, and a lot of these call for "red wine" which is kind of vague... any good suggestions here? the only thing i know about red wine in sauces is that you want one that is not oaky in flavor for the best results, but short of that i know nothing about it. so if anyone out there has any good red wine that they always use when cooking a particular sauce, i'd love to know what it is.

seth.

[Curleytop]

Seth, Don't know where you live, but I would suggest an inexpensive wine, I get my stuff in Trader Joe's or there is a cheap merlo in Costco. You can always use the inexpensive Gallo in the round jug for cooking.

[goldilocks]

Seth,

I would use a good cabernet sauvignon for red wine in spagetti sauce. You could also use a merlot or zinfindel. The basic rule is "if you can drink it, you can cook with it". That being said, the better the wine, the more flavorful the dish, but for cooking a basic wine for $5 or so is fine. I wouldn't cook with an expensive wine, I would serve it with the dish instead. Also, stay away from "Cooking wine" located near the vinegars in your grocery store. They won't give you the flavor you want. Hope that helps you.

[Leonard]

goldilocks:

You sure know you're stuff. What a great answer. You've taught me something.

Thanks!!

[Vanessa]

HI. Never use those cooking wines at the supermarket nor sherry, marsala etc. Get a few bottles of cabernet or merlot and use them for your cooking & you can also enjoy a glass as you cook http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Gail]

If budget is an issue, keep an eye out for wine sales. It's difficult to recommend a reliable fairly inexpensive brand when we're living in different regions, and price and availability are bound to vary, but offhand the names Forest Glen, Glen Ellen, BV Coastal, and Woodbridge (a Mondavi label) come to mind as those in the moderate-but-basically potable catagory, their merlots, cabernets or zinfandels would work fine.

Good luck!

[SETH885315]

thanks for the replies, guys... very helpful. and i guess that if i have to find some good types of wine to use in sauce by trial and error well, there are worse fates. i love pasta with fresh, homemade sauce! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

seth

[browneye]

Hi Seth, I am fairly new to reply on this BB but have "lurked" for a while..
I love to cook a herbed pot roast in Red Zinfandel.., onions, mushrooms, etc.
it really adds a nice zing.

[goldilocks]

Leonard, between watching all those cooking shows and my husband working for a winery, I have learned a lot about this. Hope I was able to help you.

[Cyn]

I second, the cabernet idea. It makes a wonderful difference in a tomato sauce. I generally chose one that has a fuller more intense fruity smell, as opposed to the dryer varieties. Of course this works best if you can sample some at a wine tasting, a friend's house, restaurants, etc.

[KellyD]

I agree with all of the recommendations to use an inexpensive wine for cooking - that's what I always do. But to be perfectly proper, you're supposed to cook with the same wine you plan to serve. I guess it makes sense - so you don't have competing flavors - but I'd have a hard time pouring a cup of expensive cab in my sauce - I'd rather drink it!!

[Gail]

Originally posted by KellyD:
I agree with all of the recommendations to use an inexpensive wine for cooking - that's what I always do. But to be perfectly proper, you're supposed to cook with the same wine you plan to serve. I guess it makes sense - so you don't have competing flavors - but I'd have a hard time pouring a cup of expensive cab in my sauce - I'd rather drink it!!

I agree with you completely. So if it's more than a small bit of wine you're cooking with (and it seems with red wine, one usually ends up using more than white) if you can use the same variety as what you're serving with the food, the flavors probably won't duke it out.