Saucy Sautéed Shrimp over Lemon Quinoa (Image credit: Faith Durand) Do you remember your first bite of linguine with white wine clam sauce, lobster bisque with sherry, or savory chicken Marsala? Cooking with white wine brings balance, fruit, and acidity to so many of our favorite recipes. Once you move past grocery store "cooking wine" (and I strongly advise you to do so!) and introduce even moderately priced white wine into the equation (leave that $40 Chardonnay in the wine fridge), your possibilities and cooking style expand exponentially. Here are five white wines that are each wonderful for cooking in their own way. By far, the most versatile style of wine to cook with is a dry, crisp white wine. Rich, oaky whites can become bitter during the cooking process, while sweeter whites may caramelize during deglazing or add unwanted sweetness to certain dishes. As wine cooks, it becomes an integrated part of the whole, and subtle nuances are almost always lost;

therefore, a high-quality wine is only appropriately used to finish a dish, where it will be the featured component. Unless that is the case, choose a moderately priced, quaffable white wine, and spend your extra money on quality ingredients instead. Scallops with White Wine Beurre Blanc & Lemon Orzobest wine served cold (Image credit: Nealey Dozier)best wine country vineyards 1. Crisp White Wine, Such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Unoaked Chardonnay - This is your go-to category. good red wine for celebrationIf possible, choose a wine that has a moderate alcohol content (ideally between 10 and 13 percent) and generous acidity. buy chocolate shop wine

Highly alcoholic wines may take longer to reduce and often do not have the necessary acidity, which adds brightness, while tenderizing. My three favorite grape varietals for cooking are Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and unoaked Chardonnay. Pinot Grigio is the most neutral of the three, which makes it the most versatile. beer and wine bar for saleSauvignon Blanc provides racy acidity, which is particularly delicious in seafood dishes or with sauces utilizing heavy cream. buy wine online hong kongChardonnay contributes the most richness of the three. I know it seems counterintuitive, but avoid purchasing wines labeled, "cooking wines," for they often contain salt and other additives. In general, choose unoaked, dry, medium-bodied white wines. In a pinch, you can always substitute a dry vermouth. While slightly more expensive, the vermouth has a longer shelf life, which makes it a great option for those, who only imbibe occasionally.

6 Very Drinkable Crisp, Dry Whites to Cook With Duck Pond Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2013, $12 Gabbiano Pinot Grigio della Venezie IGT, Italy, 2012, $8 Black Box Sauvignon Blanc Valle Central, Chile, NV, $24 (this is a 3-liter box, which represents an average $6 per bottle) Anselmi Friulano, Collio DOC, Italy, 2012, $10 Toad Hollow, Chardonnay, Mendocino County, California, 2012, $13 Mouton Cadet, Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux, France, 2012, $10 2. Sherry - Like Faith, I have a bottle of this in my kitchen at all times. Just this evening, I finished a pot of chicken and cauliflower soup with a dash of sherry, and it brightened the soup and added another layer of depth and dimension. Sherry is versatile: it is great for deglazing, brings depth to a cream sauce, and is brilliant alongside appetizers like oysters. My Pick for Sherry to Cook With Taylor Wine Company Dry Sherry, New York, NV, $6 3. Marsala - Although delicious in a classic chicken or veal Marsala, you should branch out and try incorporating this complex, dry wine in braised preparations.

My personal favorite way to use Marsala wine is in the decadent Italian dessert, zabaglione. My Pick for Marsala to Cook With Cantine Florio Fine Marsala Dry, Sicily, Italy, NV, $13 4. Sparkling Wine - Of course, sparkling wine is perfectly suited for a Champagne vinaigrette or a sorbet, but it is a great substitute for dry, white wine in beurre blanc. The bubbles dissipate when cooked, so this is a great opportunity to use up any leftover flat bubbly after a party (not that this is ever an issue at my house!). My Pick for Sparkling Wine to Cook With Poema Cava, Brut, Penedés, Spain, NV Scallops with Lime & Cilantro 5. Madeira - Produced in four distinct styles, Madeira is a Portuguese fortified wine from the islands of Madeira. Choose "Sercial," a dry style that doubles as a refreshing aperitif. Use Madeira in a sauce for classic Beef Wellington, as a savory addition to gravy, or as a substitute for Sherry in virtually any recipe. My Pick for Madeira to Cook With

Blandy's, "Duke of Sussex," Dry Madeira, Portugal, NV, $15 What if I Don't Cook with Alcohol? Try verjus, the pressed juice of unripened grapes. Use chicken or vegetable stock with a dash of lemon or vinegar. Opt for an alcohol-free option, like Vin Sante, made from unfermented grapes. Has anyone created or used a recipe using white Port other than a cocktail (I keep meaning to try a dessert reduction sauce this way)? I am particularly interested in finding new ways to cook with Madeira — any thoughts? Any other favorite white wines not mentioned here?There are several types of cooking wines including Marsala, Sherry, Sauternes and Rice Wine. This guide is designed to quickly identify the types of cooking wines and in what dishes they’re used. Just so you know, the major difference between wines sold as cooking wines vs. regular drinking wines is quality. If anything, cooking with a regular drinking wine will give you a better tasting dish because the quality is much higher.

There are 6 main styles of cooking wine. Dry white and red wines fall into the category of regular drinking wines. The best wine to use in your dish will often be one that will pair well with your meal. Dry red wines are best used for sauces such as Wine Reduction Sauce, Bourguignonne Sauce and Beurre Rouge. Dry white wines are used for everything from cream sauces, soups and to deglaze your pan. See the complete guide on dry white wine for cooking. Each oxidized wine has a uniquely different taste that will change the flavor profile of the dish. For example, a Rainwater Madeira really can’t be a substitute in a recipe that calls for Marsala. Most of these wines are higher ABV, which means they add a richer taste to a dish than a dry wine. They typically last for a couple of months open, especially when you store them in your refrigerator. Try them all if you can and pick your favorite to use on a regular basis. This style of wine is almost always aged for a minimum of 10 years and the better, more viscous examples can be aged for nearly 40 years before opening.

These wines can be reduced a little to create a rich caramel-like sauce or, in some cases, can just be poured over your dessert. These wines can last about a month or so open in your fridge. Red Ports include Ruby Port, Late-Bottled Vintage Port and Vintage Port. Ruby Port is a great everyday solution for cooking because it’s the most affordable. Keep a bottle around! Ruby Port will keep for a month or two and it’s awesome as a sauce on top of brownies, cakes and even on steak. These delicately flavored, high acidity sweet white wines can be used both for desserts and delicately flavored sweet and savory fish dishes. This style of wine is typically sensitive to light and air so it’s a good idea to plan to use or drink the entire bottle once you open it. There are basically 2 types of rice wines available: Chinese and Japanese rice wine. The Chinese/Taiwanese style isn’t technically a ‘wine’ because it has to be distilled to reach an ABV of 35 percent. Chinese rice ‘wine’ is used to add acidity to stir fries.