Cooking Wine

Best Cooking Wines to Buy in the UK: A Practical Guide to Picking, Using, and Saving

What exactly is cooking wine?

Cooking wine is a handy pantry ingredient designed to add depth and umami to sauces, stews, and marinades. Unlike table wine, cooking wine is often salted and preserved so it lasts longer on the shelf. Think of it as a concentrated flavor booster — like a seasoning in liquid form — that helps lift dishes from "fine" to "memorable" with a splash or two.

Why use cooking wine instead of drinking wine?

Using cooking wine saves you from opening an expensive bottle just to add a subtle layer of flavor. It’s formulated to withstand heat and long simmering times, and it’s usually priced to match its purpose. That said, for delicate finishing touches you might still prefer a nicer drinking wine — it’s really about balance and budget. Want a rich pan sauce in five minutes? Cooking wine will get you there without fuss.

Types of cooking wine and what each is best for

Not all cooking wines are created equal. There are clear winners for specific cuisines and dishes, so knowing which type to buy will make meal prep faster and results tastier.

Dry white cooking wine

Dry white cooking wine is versatile: great for deglazing pans, making cream sauces, or brightening fish and chicken dishes. It brings acidity without sweetness — imagine it like a bright squeeze of lemon but with more body. Typical uses include risottos, beurre blanc style sauces, and light cream sauces that call for a splash of acidity.

Red cooking wine

Red cooking wine adds color and structure to beef, lamb, and tomato-based dishes. Use it for slow-simmered ragu, beef bourguignon, or to make a pan sauce after searing steaks. It contributes tannins and a rounded mouthfeel that pairs well with rich meats and mushrooms.

Marsala and cooking sherry

Marsala (a fortified wine from Italy) and cooking sherry (often a Spanish-style fortified wine) are both excellent in sweet-savory recipes. Marsala is famous for chicken marsala and pairs wonderfully with mushrooms. Sherry works well in soups, creamy sauces, and braises where a slightly nutty, caramel flavor is welcome.

Vermouth and fortified aromatized wines

Dry or sweet vermouth can be a clever alternative to plain cooking wine. It adds botanical notes — think herbs and citrus peels — which can deepen a sauce’s complexity. It’s especially handy in pan sauces and reductions where your dish benefits from a subtle perfume of herbs.

Sake and mirin for Asian dishes

For Asian recipes, sake and mirin are indispensable. Sake provides a clean, rice-forward acidity while mirin adds a mild sweetness that helps glazes and sauces caramelize beautifully. Use mirin sparingly — a tablespoon or two goes a long way when making teriyaki-style glazes or simmered dishes.

Common substitutes when you don't have cooking wine

Ran out of cooking wine? No panic — several pantry staples can step in smoothly depending on the role wine plays in your recipe.

Stock or broth

Stock or broth is the most straightforward substitute, especially when the wine's job is to provide liquid and depth. Use chicken or beef stock in equal amounts to replace wine in stews and braises. If the recipe needs acidity, add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice — about 1 tablespoon per cup of stock.

Vinegar and citrus

White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice can mimic the acidity of wine. Because these are usually stronger, reduce the amount: try 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per 4 tablespoons (a quarter cup) of wine called for. This keeps the balance without overwhelming the dish.

Beer, cider, and spirits

Beer or hard cider can work in rustic stews and casseroles; they bring maltiness and carbonation that open up flavors during cooking. Brandy or cognac, added at the end to flambé or deglaze, can substitute for fortified wines in small amounts — a tablespoon or two will do for a pan sauce.

How much cooking wine should you use?

Portion control is simple: for deglazing a pan for two people, start with 2 to 4 tablespoons (1 to 2 fluid ounces). For a sauce serving four, use about 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces). For braises or stews, add enough to cover flavoring needs — typically 1/2 to 1 cup (4 to 8 fluid ounces) along with stock to avoid an overly boozy flavor. Remember, a little goes a long way; you can always add more but you can’t take it back.

Buying tips: sizes, pricing, and where to find the best deals

Cooking wines often come in bottles that mirror drinking wine sizes, but you’ll also find smaller 375 ml bottles and larger 750 ml options. In imperial units, that’s roughly 12.7 fluid ounces for a half bottle and about 25.4 fluid ounces for a standard bottle. Smaller bottles are handy if you use wine only occasionally; larger bottles offer better value if you cook with wine weekly.

Price ranges vary widely. Expect budget cooking wines at the lower end, mid-range fortified or branded cooking wines in the middle, and specialty fortified wines or imported bottles at the higher end. Comparison sites and coupon aggregators can help you track promotions and price drops so you buy the right bottle at the right time.

How to store cooking wine properly

Store unopened bottles in a cool, dark place — a pantry or cupboard away from direct sunlight is ideal. Once opened, a bottle keeps well in the fridge for several weeks; reseal tightly and stand it upright to minimize oxidation. If you store at room temperature, expect the flavor to degrade faster. For best results, use opened bottles within a month for most cooking wines; fortified varieties like Marsala or sherry can last a bit longer due to higher alcohol content.

Quick recipes and kitchen tricks using cooking wine

Want quick wins? Here are some simple, practical ways to use cooking wine that will make your weeknight meals pop.

1. Fast pan sauce for chicken or pork

After searing two 6-ounce chicken breasts, remove the meat and add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Toss in 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with 3 tablespoons (1.5 fluid ounces) dry white cooking wine, scraping up the brown bits, then simmer for a minute. Add 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) stock and 2 tablespoons cream, reduce briefly, and finish with a squeeze of lemon and a tablespoon of chopped parsley.

2. Simple mushroom Marsala

Sauté 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of oil until golden. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons (1.5 fluid ounces) Marsala, simmer until slightly reduced, then stir in 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) heavy cream or crème fraîche for a silky sauce perfect over chicken or mashed potatoes.

3. Quick deglaze for steak

After resting a seared steak, pour off excess fat, and add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped shallot to the hot pan. Deglaze with 2 to 3 tablespoons (1 to 1.5 fluid ounces) red cooking wine, reduce by half, then whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter slowly to create a glossy finish. Season and pour over the steak.

Health, sodium, and what chefs recommend

Many commercial cooking wines contain added salt and preservatives. If you're watching sodium intake, check labels — some products can be quite salty. Professional chefs often prefer using inexpensive drinking wines because they offer cleaner flavor without added salt. If you use a salted cooking wine and your dish tastes flat, it might be overly salty, so adjust by adding a small splash of water, unsalted stock, or a pinch of sugar to balance acidity.

Pairing cooking wine to cuisine and proteins

Match the wine type to the protein and cooking style. For chicken, fish, and light cream sauces, reach for a dry white cooking wine or dry vermouth. For beef, lamb, and rich tomato sauces, use red cooking wine. Marsala and sherry are excellent with pork, mushrooms, and caramelized onions. For Asian stir-fries and glazes, mirin or sake are far superior to grape-based wines because they blend more naturally with soy and sesame flavors.

Environmental and quality considerations

Like all food products, cooking wine quality varies. If sustainability is important to you, look for bottles that mention organic grapes, sustainable viticulture, or responsible fortification practices. Small batches and imported fortified wines often offer more distinctive flavor profiles, but they also come with a higher price tag. Choose based on how central wine is to your cooking: a casual weeknight cook can lean budget-friendly, while home chefs seeking nuance might invest a little more.

Buying smart: how to compare and save

Before committing to a bottle, check sizes and compare unit prices — price per fluid ounce helps you see the real value. Watch for sales on 25.4-fluid-ounce bottles if you cook with wine frequently. Sign up for newsletters from specialty food retailers and comparison sites to catch flash sales. If you prefer minimal salt in your cooking, buy unsalted drinking wines on sale and keep them handy for cooking.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The biggest mistakes are using too much wine, buying heavily salted cooking wine without checking the label, and adding wine too early in a recipe so the alcohol doesn’t cook off properly. To avoid these, measure carefully, taste as you go, and add wine at the point where it can reduce and concentrate its flavor rather than evaporating immediately.

Final tips from home cooks

Keep a small selection on hand: a dry white, a red, and a fortified wine like Marsala or sherry will cover most recipes. Use a tablespoon or two to test how wine will affect a recipe before adding large amounts. And when in doubt, a splash of preserved-but-tasty wine is still often better than none — it’s like adding a pinch of salt in liquid form.

Conclusion

Cooking wine is one of those small investments that pays off every time you cook: it brightens sauces, deepens stews, and helps you create restaurant-style flavors at home. Whether you pick budget bottles for everyday cooking or a mid-range fortified wine for special recipes, understanding types, substitutions, portion sizes, and storage will make you a more confident cook. Keep a few bottles in your pantry, measure with intention, and treat cooking wine as the flavor tool it is — not just another liquid. You’ll notice the difference in the first pan sauce you make.