Julia Child recommended using dry white Vermouth when white wine is called for. She cited two main reasons: 1) Vermouth keeps for a much longer time than wine (even unrefrigerated!); and 2) it contains 13 herbs and spices, that can't help but enhance whatever it goes into.
I have to admit to following her lead most of the time. Vermouth is also significantly less expensive than most drinkable wines, and comes in 1.5 liter bottles, so I always have some on hand.
I don't think you'll find the food you use vermouth in to come out bitter, though.I have no doubt that you're right, but to my taste and experience, I've found every vermouth I've tried to be bitter to some degree. (Maybe it's the 11 herbs and spices - Oh, wait, that's KFC! - sorry!)
I only have one Julia Childs story, but it supports this same idea.
My father's best friend and his wife live in Ventura, Calif., and she and her daughter are chocolatiers. Their store was the sole source for Julia's chocolate candies while she lived in Santa Barbara until her death, and she maintained a standing order with them for bi-monthly deliveries. When interviewed by some magazine, Julia was asked why she bought only these particular candies, and she answered, "Because, like my fruits and vegetables, I like my candy fresh!"
I've always liked that answer.
No don't use vermout. If a recepy calls for wine, if you use a spiced spirit it would change what you are getting.
In tuscany we use, depending on what we are aiming, primarily red wine, full body, and never a cheap wine. This for brasato and bolognese. If white meat, then we would use a white sweet wine like Vinsanto (cherry would be fine).
We know a chef using Brunello for cooking red meat.
White wine we are not using that much, if we do, still with white meat.
yukIs it lambrusco?