Gastronomic uses of Wine

Wine has three main uses in the kitchen – as a marinade ingredient, as a cooking liquid, and as a flavoring in a finished dish.

The function of wine in cooking is to intensify, enhance, and accent the flavor and aroma of food – not to mask the flavor of what you are cooking but rather to fortify it.

As with any seasoning used in cooking, care should be taken in the amount of wine used – too little is inconsequential and too much will be overpowering. Neither extreme is desirable.  A small quantity of wine will enhance the flavor of the dish.

The alcohol in the wine evaporates while the food is cooking, and only the flavor remains.  Boiling down wine concentrates the flavor, including acidity and sweetness.  Be careful not to use too much wine as the flavor could overpower your dish.

Of course, the last use of wine is simply drinking it, and I’m sure we are all familiar with this specific use.