Cooking wine

Any of a variety of different types of wine that are used to enhance the flavor of food dishes, such as meat, poultry, seafood, stew, vegetables, and sauces, while they are being cooked. Commercially processed wines are available in food stores as red, white or golden wines and are sold specifically for use in cooking. This type of wine provides a good shelf stable option that can be kept in a pantry for approximately one year after it has been opened, due to salt being added when the wine is processed. When used in recipes, the wine may adversely affect the saltiness of the foods, so it is often wise to reduce the amount of salt required, if any, in the recipe to not overpower the food with a salty flavor. Commercial cooking wines contain no alcohol, since it would evaporate during cooking, and they are not fit or made for drinking.

As a rule, if you would not drink the wine, don't use it for cooking. It is a myth that "poor" wine should be used for cooking.