Cooking some dishes isn’t complete without adding some wine for it. But it can’t be a random wine. The choice should be fully adapted and sophisticated. Among the most known chefs’ recipes, you can distinguish primarily red wines. Here, there’s again a wide range of classes and types. A layperson can feel overwhelmed and confused, not knowing what kind is right for what. The wine market offers us different flavors, aroma and intensity. It’s enough to look at Acker Wines to see how many different sorts of wine you have to choose from.
However, some people find great pleasure in pairing different types of wines with cheese or some desserts. They know, for instance, that a hearty meal is just begging for a glass of chilled wine to complement it. However, to match your wine ideally to food can take you a while. You should know some characteristics of this drink before you use it for cooking. Hence, here is the list of the best 7 wines used in the kitchen.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Do you feel like cooking some pasta or stew? Then, your choice should definitely fall on Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a nice combination of spice olives, pepper, black cherry, cassis and herbs. That’s why it’s a perfect match to savory dishes, such as spaghetti Bolognese, beef stroganoff, beef or lamb stew. Your guests will be delighted unless they are minors. For them, you should prepare a non-alcoholic version of the meal.
Merlot
Another wine excellent for cooking is Merlot. It, instead, works very well with risotto with wild rice, wild mushrooms and an abundance of herbs. The flavor of the wine can nicely tone down the earthy aroma of food. It’s even advisable to add Merlot just after sauteeing mushrooms and chicken to reduce the aroma of alcohol slightly and emphasize its fruity flavor.
Malbec
The third recommended wine is Malbec, which tastes the best with Tapas- a Spanish dish served in small portions, usually with Chorizo. However, the taste of Chorizo can be too intense for some people. That’s why when marinated in Malbec the night before cooking, it’ll be perfect- not too salty, but still with a hint of sour cherry and spice in the Chorizo. The earlier prepared marinade can be also used for frying the whole dish.
Shiraz
Now, something for real steak lovers. For a perfect match, reach for Shiraz. The steak steeped in this wine before frying will be a real finger-licking masterpiece. You can also add some garlic, salt, soy sauce, pepper, butter, and a little cornstarch to your taste. Serve it with fresh parsley or mint leaves. And you can be sure that everyone will fall in love with this combination at first sight.
Pinot Noir
If you’re going to prepare a roasted chicken, then don’t forget about adding a few drops of Pinot Noir to the sauce. It should be done ideally after sauteing garlic and onions when onions have already been caramelized. When the alcohol reduces, then you can pour a half cup of water and ¼ cup of butter. Thanks to the mixture of these ingredients, you’ll be able to relish the herby and earthy flavor of the meal.
Red Moscato
Are you a fan of Asian cuisine? If yes, you probably know that one of its popular dishes- Chicken Teriyaki should be served with rice wine and sugar. However, some people aren’t keen on adding sugar to their meals. Then, they can always replace these two components with Red Moscato. How to do that? There’s nothing simpler- prepare marinade made from soy sauce, pepper, garlic and the wine, in which you drown the chicken. After frying or grilling the meat, add the marinade, which should reduce itself in half. Decorate your Asian food with sesame seeds and voila- the dish is ready to consume.
Zinfandel
In the summer season, everyone loves barbecue parties. Why not add some alcohol to the grilled meat to make it softer and juicer, and people more relaxed? The best wine for that purpose seems to be Zinfandel, which has flavors of raspberry, raisins, blackberry, cherry, and prunes. When poured to the marinade, it’ll give the meat a specific aroma that nobody would forget.
