Red Wine

Red wine adds acidity and tannins to enhance sauces and stews.

Flavor

How to use it

Flavorful Deglazing. Use red wine's acids to dissolve pan remnants for a rich sauce.

Complex Marinades. Wine's acids tenderize meat, while polyphenols add depth.

Common mistakes

• Over-reducing brings bitterness from tannins.
• Harsh wines clash with delicate dishes.

What goes with red wine

• Ribeye. Red wine's tannins grip the palate and ribeye's fat softens them, while its acid cleans up between bites.
• Beef Chuck. Wine tannins bind to proteins, tenderizing beef.
• Onion. The onion's sugars caramelize in red wine, adding sweetness.
• Bay Leaf. Bay leaf adds a resinous, eucalyptus-like background that holds up in long red wine braises.
• Clove. Clove's warm spice adds depth to red wine in mulled drinks and braises.
• Duck. Red wine's acid and tannins cut duck's rich fat.
• Mushroom. Red wine's fruit and acid reduce into a rich sauce that suits mushroom's earthy umami.
• Pear. Pears poached in red wine take on its color and fruit, and their sweetness balances its tannin.

Try tonight

• Simmer in beef stew.
• Use in a reduction sauce.
• Mix into a tomato sauce for pasta.

Storage

Store at cool room temperature; refrigerate after opening.