What exactly is dry white wine?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bethany M
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Bethany M

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I know this may seem like a silly question.... but I have never purchased nor consumed any sort of alcohol in my life, so I am clueless. A recipe I am making calls for "dry white wine" but I have no idea where to find this among all the wine at the store! None of the labels flat out say "dry white wine" so how do I know what to get? Thanks :-)
P.S. I cannot just ask for help as I am not 21 so won't be able to purchase it anyway. I have to send my husband to get it (which is ridiculous, considering I'm using it for cooking and am not going to consume it sraight *sigh*) But rules are rules!
 
its the process in which it was made.

Some of the leading dry white wines are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Riesling. Some of the leading dry red wines are Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Pinot Noir, Grignolino, and Côtes-du-Rhône
 
Never buy wine marked "cooking wine" in stores, as it will give your dishes far inferior results. The wine you cook with doesn't have to be the best quality, but it should be drinkable. You can cook with many different types of wine, but it good to have bottles of dry red and white wines on hand for cooking as well as sherry.

When a recipe calls for dry white wine, you're usually safe with a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc. If it calls for dry red wine, choose a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot or even a Pinot Noir.
 
the drier the wine, the less sugar is in it, and the less sweet it is. It also means that there is more alcohol, but don't worry about that, as it evaporates during the cooking process.

So a dry white wine has little sugar in it. Sugar when cooked can caramelize and change both the taste and presentation of your final dish.

A wine used in cooking doesn't need to be as drinkable as a wine you would serve for drinking. many cooking wines taste quite disgusting when drunk, but they impart very nice flavour when used in cooking.

Look for a cheap white wine. A Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Riesling or one using the Seyval grape.

Hope that helps.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. The only silly questions are the ones that are not asked. Good luck with the cooking.
 
Just ask for it. The manager or the help in the store will be happy to help you out. Dry wine is the opposite of sweet wine, which cannot (should not) be used for cooking.
 
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