How do you know if the wine is a good one?!
Are there any known brands these stores carry that are good but won't break the bank?
Answers: I need to buy some merlot from Safeway (Vons), they have prices starting at $5.99 up & I'm buying this to cook with mainly. I'd love to get away just paying the $5 but I'm sure that's some crappy wine. How do you know it simply a good wine for a great price?
Are there any known brands these stores carry that are good but won't break the bank?
Any good chef will tell you that if you won't drink it, then don't cook with it! Contrary to what our friends are saying here, the taste of the wine goes into the food, so if it tastes like crap, guess what your food will taste like? Also, the half truth about the alcohol burning off? That part is true, after all, you don't want the meal to taste like alcohol, BUT what is left is the essence of the wine and that does matter.
So what to pick? A decent Kendall Jackson for about $10, you can cook and drink at the same time.
There are several cheap, yet good wines. You'll just need to experiment.
Do not chill red wine, including merlot. It will turn it to vinegar and you'll end up tossing it out.
Basically you get what you pay for. Although if you are cooking with it you don't have to go for the most expensive bottle, but I'd go a little better than the cheapest. In my experience a dry red is the best type to cook with.
This link may give you a few hints when choosing a wine to cook with...http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/eg...
visit this site:
www.vinquire.com/wines/search/top-rate...
And also this site:
www.pickarestaurant.com/reference/wine...
I will stick with the $5.99 wine since it doesn't matter the quality of the wine when it comes to cooking. You would not tell the difference between that bottle or a bottle of Lafite in any case. Also if you are really using it for cooking, sometimes some left over wine will do the trick.
You like it! Cooking sherry is probably best though for cooking.
For cooking it will not matter (too much). You will burn off all the alcohol. The flavor changes when cooking as well.
Try the BAREFOOT brand. They are usually cheap and decent tasting. A step up would be Lindemans, Black Swan, or Yellow Tail
Good luck
i personally don't care for the barefoot brand. your best bet is Almaden chianti(good stuff for the price) or Yellowtail cabernet/merlot (blue bottle)
drink it if it tastes like crap do get that one again some of the best wine around only cost 2.49