To use wine in slow cooking to add richness to a dish, add a splash of wine at the end of the cooking time. It can enhance the flavor even more. But which wine to cook with?The Drink It First Rule
Only cook with a wine that you would happily drink by itself (in fact, go ahead and do that while you’re cooking!). Much of the alcohol evaporates while cooking, but the flavors remain. Any wine marketed specifically for cooking (we’re looking at you, cooking sherry) is usually horrible and should be avoided.
No Generic Stuff
Some recipes generically call for “dry white wine” and “dry red wine.” What to do? For white wine, use sauvignon blanc. Fresh and herbal with just the right amount of acidity, it's a wine that works wonders in any dish. For red wine, pair the heartiness of the dish with the heartiness of the wine. A thick, flavorful stew needs a correspondingly big-bodied wine, such as shiraz, zinfandel. A lighter dish calls for a light red like pinot noir.
Fortified to the Rescue
Fortified wines like Port, Madeira, and nutty Sherries like amontillado and oloroso all pack a big flavor punch.
Bonus: once opened, fortified wines can be used for several months. Port’s rich, sweet flavor pairs well with meaty casseroles; Sherry’s roasted nut flavors are a boon to soups; and Madeira’s caramel fruitiness works wonders in Mediterranean sautés.
