White wine

Serve light, crisp white wine well chilled, around 7–10 °C; fuller-bodied styles are more aromatic at about 10–13 °C. If it is too cold, leave it in the glass for a few minutes to open up.

Recork the bottle and keep it in the fridge; most white wines are best within 3–5 days. A vacuum stopper can slow oxidation, but discard the wine if it smells sharply vinegary or stale.

Yes: add a splash to a pan after browning chicken, fish or mushrooms, then simmer until the sharp alcoholic smell has faded before adding stock or cream. It also works in risotto, where you stir it in after toasting the rice.

For a savoury dish, use chicken or vegetable stock with a little lemon juice or white-wine vinegar for acidity. For a sweet recipe, use apple juice; it is sweeter, so reduce any other sugar.

Crisp white wine pairs well with fish, prawns, goat’s cheese and salads with a sharp dressing. Fuller, oaked styles suit roast chicken, creamy sauces and richer fish such as salmon.

You can freeze it in an ice-cube tray and use the cubes later in sauces or risotto. Frozen wine is not ideal for drinking, as freezing can dull its aromas and change its texture.

No. Simmering reduces the alcohol, but it does not guarantee that every trace evaporates; the amount left depends on cooking time and how the dish is prepared. Add wine early and simmer it rather than stirring it in at the end.