When Cooking With Wine, Cheaper Isn't Better

Using wine in recipes is a task that typically comes with an array of questions. And while we can confidently say that in most recipes, other aspects, such as the price point, are often left up to interpretation. Some people believe that the wine you cook with should be cheaper than the wine you drink, in the same way that the oil you cook with should be less expensive than the oil you dress your dishes with — which is .

But it's not that simple. We here at The Takeout got the opportunity to speak with Patrick Ochs, the corporate executive chef at , to find out more about how to use wine to cook with. The expert chef's advice is that it's generally a good idea to find a middle ground when it comes to the price of your wine.



"I always prefer a decent wine to ensure the flavors will still enhance the dish without introducing undesirable elements," Ochs explained. "It is not necessary to use an expensive wine as most of the flavor will be lost." But while price isn't necessarily a key factor, it's still important to think about the kind of recipe you're going to be making when picking the right wine at the store.

It depends on how the dish will be cooked, and how much wine the recipe calls for. What to consider when choosing wine to cook with While you won't want to be using any of the which the store sold back in 2024, ensuring that the wine you're using to cook isn't low quality is an absolute must. This is especially important if the wine itself is a vital aspect of the recipe.

"It's imperative to cook with a higher-quality wine when the wine is a central ingredient, like in a wine reduction sauce," Patrick Ochs explained. This is because "the flavor of the wine will directly impact the dish's final taste." In the same vein, using wine that you'd be happy to drink to cook with is typically an important rule to follow; if the wine isn't up to your standards in a glass, it will likely not be good enough for your dish, either.

This balancing act of ensuring the wine you're using to cook is simultaneously high quality while not overly expensive can be difficult if you're new to recipes that feature wine. So, to ensure you aren't overspending, Ochs offered some additional insight on how to know when the price and quality of your wine will have less of an impact on your finished dish. "It would be a waste to cook with a costlier wine in dishes like slow-cooked stews or braises," Ochs revealed.

The reason is that "the wine's delicate flavors are likely to get lost in the long cooking process or evaporate, making it unnecessary." Recommended.