Leftover wine? We know this seems crazy, but sometimes we just can't finish that bottle. Sure, we put a cork in it and store it in the fridge, but if you've still got a half-glass of Syrah hanging around a week later, it's time to repurpose it. Wine is perfectly good for cooking months after it stops being fit for sipping. These ideas will make sure you get every last drop out of that bottle.
Once it reaches a certain point, all old wine just tastes like skunked vinegar. But that doesn't mean you should pour it down the drain—adding a little heat and some other choice ingredients will give it new life. Keep two jars or jugs in your fridge or freezer for semi-finished bottles of wine: One for white, and another for red. You'll have a stash ready for cooking when you need it, without needing to open a new bottle just for that ¼-cup needed (and thus perpetuating the cycle). Word to the wise: Don't store it on the counter with the other, still-good bottles of wine. You don't want to accidentally take a swig from this one.
To make a successful quick sauce, you'll need to scrape up the little browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. They're easily dislodged with a splash of liquid, which makes wine your new best friend: Why use water when you can add flavor with wine? Oh, and in case you're worried about the sauce being overly boozy, remember that most of the alcohol cooks out when it hits the heat.
Basic braising know-how: Sear a piece of sinewy meat until golden brown. Submerge half-way with liquid. Cover. Cook for hours at a low temperature. Done and done: It's a simple method, made better by big, bold flavors. What sorts of flavors, you ask? Garlic, onions, rich stock, and, yep, plenty of wine.
Figs, prunes, and raisins are just dying to be introduced to your old wine. Reds tend to work better than whites for this purpose. Just add a handful of dried fruit to a jar, add the wine to cover, and tuck in a few sprigs of thyme. Let sit for a few days before eating, or up to a couple weeks. Remove the herbs after the first week if keeping for longer. The boozy fruit is great over ice cream or pound cake.
Thanks to its alcohol content, wine doesn't freeze solid. Use this to your advantage and add a little sweetener (like simple syrup, agave, or maple), some puréed or smashed fruit, and pour it into a shallow baking dish. Pop it in the freezer and let it chill for an hour. Remove it every half hour and use a fork to scrape at the semi-frozen wine, forming textured granules, similar to a slush or shaved ice dessert.
Kick the store-bought wine vinegar habit for good. Homemade vinegar is a lot easier than you think—all you really need is a "mother" (bacterial starter), a jar, some cheesecloth, and a little bit of patience. The best part is that you don't need to stick to a specific type of wine—it's not so subtle in flavor that varietals matter. Keep adding to your dump-it bucket, and as soon as you get enough for a batch, follow these instructions to make it at home. You'll need to "feed" the fermenting vinegar weekly with more wine, which is a very solid argument for opening that second (or third) bottle…
Strawberry-Rosé Spritzer. Photo: Christopher Testani
This is the perfect solution for wine that's still alive, but not enough to fill out an entire glass. Combine the wine with fresh, ripe berries (extra points for muddling it first), soda water, and a splash of liqueur, like Aperol or Campari. Fill with ice, and sip. Wine cocktails: You meant to do that.