What is dry red wine? Help!

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Katherine47

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jul 11, 2006
Messages
5
Hello,
I have a qestion I have a recipe for Red snapper, and it says add dry red wine.What does that mean? I would like to know what Brand should i buy ?
I work at Costco and their are alot of different names and brands.
Some one told me not to use the cooking wines .Is this true?
I'm so confuse. please help me!!!:ROFLMAO:
 
Well, you could soak it up with Bounty.....the quicker picker upper.


Dry represents tannins that when you drink it makes you want to smack your tounge on the roof of your mouth. Dry just is a term to describe a quality of the wine. Dry is like pucker. If you have had anything dry(besides my "humor", you know what I mean).
 
"Dry" wine is the type of wine which is not "sweet". A dry wine has been fermented to the point most/all of the sugar element in the grapes is consumed.
I like the sweet red wine and I don't know enough of the dry ones to give you the recommendations, (anyone else out there to help out?) most definitely stay clear of those cooking wines!! They are really not wines (that's why you will find them in the condiments section of supermarkets, not in the wine section!), they contain chemical additives and the flavours are horrid. I would rather skip it or substitute with broth or something rather than using those "cooking wines"...:wacko:

For cooking, there are many inexpensive choices, one thing to remember is you should be able to drink it, if you wouldn't drink it, don't use it in cooking either.
 
wine reply

Dry wine is wine that does not have a sweet taste.
Cooking wines often do not taste so good. A wine which tastes good to drink, will also make your recipe taste better than a wine that does not taste good to drink.
But dont worry too much about whether the wine is dry or not. I think any good tasting red wine will be ok.
When i have guests, i usually use some of the wine we will drink for dinner, in the the recipe. Good this way, because the bottle gets finished. Wine goes bitter, when opened for too long.
Mel
 
Here's an idea for you if you don't use much wine except for cooking, which sounds like you are just getting into.

Supermarkets carry little four-paks of Sutter Home bottles of wine - red and white - the bottles contain aprox. 1 cup each. You can keep these in your pantry for when a recipe calls for a small amount.

I'm sure there are other brands available also, but I've used the Sutter Home and it's good for cooking with.
 
The others have answered your question about dry wine so I will answer your question about cooking wine.

Whoever told you not to use cooking wine was absolutely correct. Cooking wine has tons of salt added in. Buy a bottle and take a taste. Once you do that you will know why you would never want to use it in your food. It is horrible stuff.
 
types of dry red wine: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, Pinot Noir

"cooking Wines" have 1.5 % salt added to make them "undrinkable" thus saleable in dry communities. No good cook recommends cooking with a wine you can't drink. It is all about flavor, and if the flavor is bad, you don't want it in your food!
 
urmaniac13 said:
For cooking, there are many inexpensive choices, one thing to remember is you should be able to drink it, if you wouldn't drink it, don't use it in cooking either.
THt's for darn sure!! I picked up a bottle of "cooking white wine" and ruined my dish. I'll pay more for actual wine next time and stay away from the vinegar aisle ~ which is where I found it. Should have clued in there.
 
As others have said, avoid "cooking wines," which are horrible, tasteless, and full of salt.

Dry does mean the opposite of sweet in wine lingo, and usually refers to wine with under 1% residual sugar (the fermentation process converts the sugar in the grapes to alcohol, but it stops when the alcohol gets to about 14% and kills the yeast).

One word about cooking with wine -- it's usually best to avoid wines that are very tannic (a bitter quality like black tea that's been brewed too long) or that are heavily oaked (red wines and some whites are often aged in oak, which imparts unique woody flavors to the wine, often similar to vanilla). Those flavors make the wine more complex and enjoyable, at least to us winos, but if too strong, they can detract from any dish to which they're added, especially something light like fish.

When I cook with wine, which is quite often, I generally prefer something that's very fruity and not too tannic or oaky. That generally means not very expensive. I often choose something like Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc (white wines) or Syrah or Merlot or Pinot Noir (reds), although Chardonnay and Cabernet that's intended to drink now rather than age can be an excellent choice.

I do keep those small bottles that come in six-packs (187 ml each, which is 1/4 of a standard bottle) on hand for things that call for only a few ounces of wine. The Australian brand Lindeman's is a good choice. I also sometimes substitute dry sherry or vermouth for a small quantity of white wine -- but then white wine doesn't add much to most dishes, IMO.
 
Forgot about my Noilly Prat - this is just about all I use for white wine called for in recipes. The bottle is kept with my oils/vinegars and so very handy and does not go bad.
 
cjs said:
Forgot about my Noilly Prat - this is just about all I use for white wine called for in recipes. The bottle is kept with my oils/vinegars and so very handy and does not go bad.
I also tend to use dry white vermouth when white wine is called for. Julia Child gave me that idea. She liked it best because it has so many herb flavors already incorporated, and it keeps so much longer than "regular" wine.

The wine you see in supermarkets labeled "Cooking Wine" is not only full of salt, but also is made from the cheapest plonk you could possibly imagine. There are so many really drinkable inexpensive wines available, even in the grocery store wine sections,, and they ALL cost less per ounce than that "Cooking Wine" swill.

"Dry red wine," to answer the original question, is just about any red wine you see on the shelves in US today. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Zinfandel, Syrah/Shiraz all qualify. However, Cabernet Sauvignon generally is not a good choice for cooking with because of its tannins, that, when reduced, can taste downright awful. The wines I use most often tend to be Cote du Rhones (a blend of Grenache and other red grapes) Pinot Noir or Beaujolais. and, just as the recommendation is not to cook with a wine you wouldn't drink, I also recommend to cook with less expensive wines. For instance, if you've splurged on an expensive Bordeaux to serve for a special dinner, don't cook with THAT! Instead, choose an under $10 bottle of Merlot, approximating the taste, without the expense. I wouldn''t cook with any wine that cost more than $15.....
 
Thanks everyone :chef:
You guys are so nice to help me out! I did buy a bottle of Vermouth :rolleyes: .
I wanted to know on the the dry red wines. what kind of brand is good to use . And im not really into cooking with dry red wines , so i was wondering what brand you guys use.
 
You won't find a dry red wine like vermouth that's fortified so it will keep in the cupboard. I'd recommend a merlot as they are low in tannins, inexpensive and everywhere. You can divide the wine up into ice cube trays or other small containers and freeze them for future use.

You should be able to find a decent merlot for around $10 a bottle. You can also use any other red wines. Ask your local wine merchant for a low cost dry red for cooking.
 
Katherine47 said:
Thanks everyone :chef:
You guys are so nice to help me out! I did buy a bottle of Vermouth :rolleyes: .
I wanted to know on the the dry red wines. what kind of brand is good to use . And im not really into cooking with dry red wines , so i was wondering what brand you guys use.
For "wines to cook with," I generally purchase Chilean or Australian wines... my favorites being Banrock Station Shiraz or Cab/Shiraz, and Concha y Toro Cab/Merlot. These are often found in the wine section of grocery stores in US. I don't buy Yellow Tail.....
 
cjs said:
For a red that can be kept over time, you might try a boxed red wine. These keep quite a while.
Jean's right! I rarely buy those because at my house we usually drink what we've cooked with.

Lots of restaurants keep box wine in the walkin all the time!
 
Australia produces good wines, but my favorite is Spain. There reds are dry but still maintain a fruit forward taste. Wines I would reccomend are Crianza, Garnache ( Grenache in English) and the Tempranillos. They are relativley inexpensive ( under $10). I must be a drunk though because I need alot more than 1 bottle if I'm cooking with it and inviting friends over.
 
I must be a drunk though because I need alot more than 1 bottle if I'm cooking with it and inviting friends over.
I doubt that! There are 5 to 6 "glasses" of wine (6 oz) in a 750 ml bottle... So, say you are using a cup in your stew, or to reduce... maybe even more... not much left for the cook and friends! unless you bought a magnum!

That wouldn't qualify you as a "drunk," unless you are alcohol sensitive!
 
Katherine47 said:
Thanks everyone :chef:
You guys are so nice to help me out! I did buy a bottle of Vermouth :rolleyes: .
I wanted to know on the the dry red wines. what kind of brand is good to use . And im not really into cooking with dry red wines , so i was wondering what brand you guys use.

others have mentioned the varieites of grapes used, so i'll try to give a few pointers on brands
if you're looking at wines in the u.s., you probably can't go wrong if the wine is coming from the napa valley area. as a general rule, the more specific the label is as to where it's from, the higher the likelyhood that it's a good wine. if it's from a town, such as st. helena, calistoga, rutherford, etc., it's probably a very nice wine. if it's from napa or sonoma county or says california north coast, it's probably good. if it's labeled simply as california, you're taking your chances. if it's from southern cal, you'd be better off to pass on it. it's too sunny down there and the grapes are too big and sweet.

another clue is how specific it is on stating which varieties of grapes are used.

a couple of the larger vinters that would probably be available in most any area would be robert mondavi & beaulieu vinyards. just about any wine they bottle will be fine for cooking or everyday use. beringer, sutter (creek? hill?), & rutherford hill are a few others. of course, there are a bazillion small vinters that make great wines, not only in northern cal, but the whole west coast and here and there around the u.s., but the above are widely available and pretty reliably good for most occasions for your average joe or katherine.
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My favorite for "every day" cooking & drinking is Inglenook Cabernet. Don't get me wrong, I'll buy other reds of all sorts (I prefer Itallian reds for price & flavor). But as a general rule on weekends you'll find a big 3-liter bottle of Inglenook on my kitchen counter, and definitely when I'm having a large party. I'm almost embarrassed when I decant it and someone asks me what it is and have to 'fess up (next thing I know, I'm at their house and there's that familar bottle). My sis even bought me glasses that said "cheap red wine" on them. I like boxed whites OK, but the reds are never dry enough for me. So I buy the Inglenook, and 3 liters is enough that there's plenty for guests after I've put a cup or so into the food, then had a glass or two while cooking. If your guests are the "one glass with dinner" types, it comes in 1 1/2 liter size too. My guests are more drinkers than that.
 
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