Looking for new tricks to make your favorite dishes even more delicious? Then this list is for you.
As we relish white wines as a light and versatile drink, they also perfectly complement many recipes as an ingredient. But with so many options out there, choosing the wrong wine can ruin your food.
Here, we’ve curated a list of the best white wines for cooking to help you find that perfect bottle to transform your everyday dishes into extraordinary meals.
Let’s get started!
Tips for Selecting White Wine for Cooking
As an essential ingredient, white wines enrich many dishes, enhancing overall flavors and adding a special touch to your recipes.
The question is: how do you choose the right wine?
Here are my tips that work exceptionally well:
- First and foremost, use dry white wines. You mostly want your wine to add acidity to a dish rather than sweetness. Super sweet or full-bodied wines like Moscato and oaked Chardonnays can quickly caramelize or impart too much flavor to the dish. Save sweet wines for desserts.
- Choose wines with a moderate alcohol content, ideally between 10 and 13 percent. High-alcohol wines take longer to reduce and may lack the necessary acidity.
- Select an affordable bottle. Cooking with white wine is both enjoyable and cost-effective, so you don’t have to spend too much on any wine. My favorite picks here hopefully will fit the bill.
- Avoid "cooking wine." These wines don’t taste good, containing cheap ingredients and excessive salt. As a golden rule, choose wines you would drink with dinner.
- It's alright to cook with a previously opened bottle if it's been properly stored in the refrigerator. Most white wines are suitable for cooking for up to two weeks after opening.
- Keep experimenting. While many guides can be helpful in pairing white wines with dishes, your taste is key. Trying new recipes and techniques will help you master your culinary skills.
In short, using dry white wine for cooking goes beyond grabbing any random bottle. Keep these tips in mind and feel free to try new combinations to find the perfect pair for your meal.
With that out of the way, let’s get into which white wines work best with your cooking.
Best White Wines to Cook With
- Dry Riesling
- Dry Sherry
- Vinho Verde
- Marsala
- Pinot Grigio
- Dry Vermouth
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Muscadet
1 - Dry Riesling
Dry Riesling is a CLASSIC cooking wine. With its elevated acidity and higher sugar content, this German white wine is a versatile option to incorporate into various recipes.
The acidity offers a lively contrast, making it great for cooking creamy chicken dishes or flaky fish.
On the other hand, the higher sugar level helps keep white meat moist yet tender. This means that, like most good white wines, Dry Riesling doesn't overwhelm the taste of your meal.
This wine has a delicate aroma of citrus fruits, apples, and flowers, with tropical hints, making it a suitable ingredient in a glaze or dessert.
But that’s not all.
Dry Riesling also complements:
- Red meats
- Pork
- Spicy dishes
- Poached fruit
2 - Dry Sherry
Dry white wines allow many passionate home cooks to prepare amazing dishes, and Dry Sherry is no exception.
Although it’s not among the most popular white wine brands, Dry Sherry has become noticeable in recent years as a game-changer in the kitchen.
Why?
Because adding just a small splash of Dry Sherry to a nearly finished dish gives it a layered flavor and a touch of acidity. Plus, this versatile wine is ideal for deglazing and brings depth to cream sauces.
Not only does it enhance your favorite recipes, but I also enjoy it as a fantastic drink to start with when serving appetizers.
You can cook with it in:
- Soups
- Roasted chicken
- Seafood dishes
- Cream sauces
Be aware—while some sherries tend to be very sweet and pair well with desserts, others are much drier.
3 - Vinho Verde
If you're looking to add an exciting new tool to your cooking repertoire, I highly recommend trying Vinho Verde.
This crisp and light Portuguese wine has everything you need to liven up your dishes.
4 - Marsala
Marsala is another go-to white cooking wine that many home chefs and restaurants rely on for delicious food.
For example, Chicken marsala, a fabulous Italian dish, is made with this type of white wine. Moreover, you can use it in recipes for risotto and cream-based dishes.
One standout quality of this wine is its ability to add acidity, depth, and richness to sauces and braises.
In my experience, it has a strong flavor, so it’s better to use it sparingly. Once opened and stored in the refrigerator, Marsala can last for up to three months. Remember to check the label for the word “secco,” which means “dry.”
Bottom line?
Marsala should definitely be on your radar if you want to revive your savory dishes.
Speaking of go-to dry white wines for cooking…
5 - Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is one the most popular wines in cooking. How so?
This fantastic wine is a versatile companion for many dishes and is easy to find in most wine shops.
It lends strong acidity and fruity hints to dishes, and its crisp and neutral flavor adds vibrancy, harmonizing beautifully with a wide range of foods.
These bright Italian wines pair perfectly with salty Italian cheese in most risotto recipes.
Furthermore, they enhance the appeal of vegetable-focused meals, such as vegan cauliflower scampi in a lemony garlic white wine sauce.
In short, this wine is an ideal match for:
- Risotto
- Shrimp scampi
- Smoked salmon pasta
- Pesto Chicken
- Vegan cauliflower scampi
- Light pasta dishes
- Various types of cheese
Not bad at all.
6 - Dry Vermouth
Dry Vermouth is a great aromatic fortified wine to enrich your dishes.
Its complex and slightly bitter notes make it an appealing option for taking savory dishes like risotto or pasta to another level.
Once opened, you can store Dry Vermouth in the refrigerator for up to three months.
No matter which cooking method you prefer, having this one in the kitchen is always an excellent idea.
7 - Sauvignon Blanc
As you've learned, finding a nice white wine for cooking can be a challenge. But you just can’t go wrong with Sauvignon Blanc.
Its immense versatility in incorporating into many recipes sets this popular and widely available cooking white wine apart.
Featuring refreshing flavors and balancing acidity, Sauvignon Blanc works exceptionally well with many heavy cream sauces.
Moreover, I've used it as a substitute for lemon or vinegar to add depth and zest to a dish.
Its bright, herbaceous, and dry taste profile makes it ideal for cooking:
- Italian risotto
- Mussels or clams
- Steamed mussels with garlic toasts
- Chicken piccata
- Chicken and mushroom pasta in a garlic white wine sauce
- Seafood sauces
Bottom line?
As one of the best white wines for cooking, Sauvignon Blanc is the ultimate choice to prepare a delightful meal.
8 - Muscadet
While Muscadet may be relatively more expensive than some common wines on this list, it still earns its place among the best white cooking wines.
The question is:
What is the number 1 reason people love it?
This light-bodied French wine does a GREAT job at complementing the brininess of many seafood dishes, extending beyond just oysters.
Additionally, Muscadet offers flavors of sea snail, lemon, lime, and green apple, making it a delightful ingredient in your cooking.
So, if you have an exceptional dish like drunken mussels in mind, Muscadet is a good choice.
Enjoy Cooking With White Wine
To wrap things up, dry white wines revitalize the flavors of your favorite recipes. From Sauvignon Blanc to Riesling, the best cooking white wines bring new tastes to your table.
We’ve shared our top picks to help you find your perfect match for cooking delicious meals.
Visit our white wine selection to shop for bottles that will expand your culinary repertoire.
Other posts you may enjoy:
- The Best Wine and Cheese Pairings
- 12 Amazing White Wines in California
- How to Tell If Wine Has Gone Bad
- Wondering What Wine Goes with Turkey