cordelli

I think it totally depends on what you are making. Most of the time it won't be a problem at all, but if for example you are making a white clam sauce, a red wine will taste just fine, but will make it look funny.

There are a few delicate sauces that I would not want to use a Pinot or Cabernet for if it usually used a Sauvignon Blanc, things like that.

uk1

A lot of people overlook the fact that some white wine is made from red or black grapes ..... it is the skin that makes red wine red .... not the grape juice. All grape juice is pretty much the same colour.

So I'd be more inclined to judge what wine you cook with as being more dependent on what proteins you are using. And a good rule of thumb is to cook with what wine you'd choose to drink alongside the completed dish.

One other thing. I'm not ashamed to say that many of the dishes I cook with wine I use Noily Prat. I sometimes use a red vermouth when makeing sauces for things like steaks if I'm in the mood for that type of steak. I use it for sauces etc and of course it keeps well in the fridge and is therefore always available for cooking as well as the odd Dry Martini. No good for dishes calling for whole bottles of wine but the great thing about cooking with vermouths is that they have really interesting herbs in them and as long as you are light with them they can add some distinctive tones.

So always keep two bottles of vermouth in.

kipper

I used red wine for the recipe. I really liked it, Mr. Kipper didn't care for it. He ate a portion of it, then ate leftovers from earlier in the week. I won't complain, since it just means that I'll have some leftovers.

Steph3n

The skins add a lot of flavor, some that people like, and others don't. I personally keep a bottle of grape must around for flavor in certain dishes, it is an amazing item if used properly.

violist

+1
+1
-1. Most reds would make such a shellfish dish taste funny.
Little still white wine is made from red grapes; I can't
think of any offhand, but I'm sure they exist. It's a bit
more frequent that white juice creeps into red wine.

uk1

Pinot Noir is a primary grape in the making of Champagne as are many red grapes used in Rose and blushes and a few white stills.

A lot of people drink champagne and would be suprised to hear the predominant grape is black ..................

DJGMaster1

Unfortunately, IMMENSE amounts of White Zinfandel are still made in the U.S. as well.

Actually a light fruity red with good acidity could probably substitute for whites in most recipes with little difficulty. OTOH, I wouldn't use a robust Cab or Syrah where a white was called for, but a Beaujolais or a young light Pinot Noir or Grenache or similar would probably be fine.

Steph3n

Not if you add extra seasons to compliment the wine, and it is a more 'hearty' shellfish in mussels

notsosmart

OMG! Never ever subsitute robust reds for white! Blasphemy! Heresy! Are you nuts?

Seriously, I would never do this, but if it works for you, meh, who cares?

missydarlin

what did you make... and did it work out?

kipper

I combined cream cheese with chives, cream of mushroom soup, wine, and chicken in the crock pot, then when that was ready, cooked pasta, and served that on top of the pasta. I enjoyed it, Mr. Kipper didn't care for it.

violist

Don't ever do that. The crockpot doesn't get hot enough
to get the alcohol out in a typical session. If you want
the flavor benefits of the wine, heat it to boiling before
putting it in the crock.

kipper

Is there a problem with having some alcohol left after cooking?

fanger

All grape juice made into wine is initially white. Reds are steeped with the red skins for an extended period of time, extracting the color and other compounds (tannins, etc.)

In a recipe, wine is typically used for its acidity and flavor. Substituting red for white will typically provide much of the acidity, along with color. What you typically don't want in a white wine recipe that may be a problem are the tannins and any strong oak/wood flavor, which could become harsh and bitter in a white wine recipe, which is typically lighter. The oak/wood issue is why many "California-style" heavily oaked Chardonnays are not great for cooking. (Also the secondary malolactic fermentation reduces the apparent acidity of the wine).

That said, there may be many cases where these qualities would not be a problem. There are certainly many light red wines with limited tannins and oak for which you could make an interesting substitution.

cyclogenesis

Disagree red==white in terms of cooking... Yes, the same grapes may be used but as has been said tannins plus the aging (ie what oaks are used) creates a entirely different beast..

OP: Some recipes (sauces) you can use brandy (carefully!) and some places (SOME!) beer can be used... Usually a not-to-hoppy ale...

Some cask wines are actually ok and last up to a month... I had a dry month and we had a cask of red for cooking (so as to escape the "oh well, we have an open bottle of wine" excuse) and it worked well in red sauces/roasts etc...