white wine
Wine made from white or dark-skinned grapes fermented without skin contact, giving it a light color; drunk on its own and used in cooking for deglazing a pan, building a pan sauce, or as part of a braising liquid, where its acidity balances rich or fatty dishes.
Buying guidance
Buy a dry white worth drinking -- an inexpensive, everyday bottle is fine, but skip anything labeled 'cooking wine,' which usually has added salt that throws off a dish's seasoning. Match dry versus off-dry style to what you're cooking; a sweeter wine can make a savory sauce taste cloying.
Substitutions
- Dry vermouth -- more concentrated and herbal, but a handy pantry stand-in since it keeps far longer once opened; use a little less.
- Chicken or vegetable stock plus a splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice -- replaces the acidity and liquid without the alcohol.
- Omit and use extra stock -- fine for most dishes, just a little less bright.
Tips & common mistakes
Pouring it into a pan that's gone completely dry and very hot can make it reduce to almost nothing instantly and leave scorched sugars stuck to the bottom -- deglaze while there's still some fat or moisture in the pan, scraping as it bubbles.
Storage
An opened bottle oxidizes quickly and starts tasting flat within about a week even recorked and refrigerated -- unlike spirits, it doesn't keep indefinitely once opened, so treat it as a short-term ingredient rather than a pantry staple.