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California Wine Country Recipes
Sample some recipes from our collection of California wine country recipes that trace back to authentic French, Italian, and California cuisine. The rustic flavors of our recipes reflect the taste of California wine country and the simple, relaxed lifestyle of the region. Whether you need appetizers, soups, salads, or main courses and desserts, you will find something special from this beautiful part of California. Our wine country recipes offer a taste of these delicious and nutritious dishes with their bold flavors. Eat them for their health benefits or to enjoy the sensual flavors and textures; you are sure to find some that will please your palate.
Everyone's Favorite Wine Recipes
Everyone has a favorite recipe with wine; it may be a rich Italian sauce, hearty beef stroganoff or a light seafood sauce. Whatever your favorite is, check our selection for more recipes to tempt your taste buds. Wine interacts with the food during cooking to create a complex, delicious flavor that you will be proud to serve to your friends and family. You will find that these favorite wine recipes are perfect for evenings when you want to eat something a little special or even when you want a little comfort food.
Wine Recipes through History
People have been making wine since ancient times. As soon as wine was created, it became a cooking ingredient. The Greeks and Romans used wine in sauces, which is a cooking method that has traveled all the way to present day. In France, eel was boiled in wine. Wine was also used to make sops, a mixture of wine and water with bread to soak up the liquid. From meat jellies to desserts, wine has found a solid place in the culinary world. Try some of our historical recipes and participate in some living history.
Popular Ingredients in Wine Recipe
When you cook with wine, you will see that some ingredients are used with wine more than others. Red wine, for instance, goes well with red meats. It can help tenderize the meat and add to the flavor. Wine sauces are often served on meats or pasta. What types of recipes do you like to add wine to? Do you find yourself adding wine to the same types of ingredients? Peruse our selection of fine recipes to see which ones tempt you. Take a look at what is in your pantry; this may help you decide on a few to try.
Making Wine Recipes at Home
If you have not cooked with wine before, do not worry. Making recipes at home with wine is no more difficult than any other recipe. Experiment a little; add just a bit of wine at first, then taste the results. By tasting before you add more, you will find the amount that gives you the flavor you desire. Keeping a small bottle on hand for cooking is not hard. You can even find mini bottles that you can use for cooking. Take a look at our simple recipes and see what sounds delicious. Start small with an easy recipe and grow with your confidence.
The Easiest Recipes for Wine
Some of the easiest recipes to add wine to are sauces. Start with a spaghetti sauce or a stew. Use wine to deglaze a pan to make a sauce. The wine adds a deeper, more complex flavor that you cannot get any other way. Take a look at these easy recipes and try your hand at cooking with wine. Take your time and learn the easy techniques necessary so you can become confident when cooking with wine.
So, enjoy browsing our extensive collection of the best wine country recipes and happy eating!
California Wine Guide Recipe Menu
Appetizers
Soup Recipes
Salad
Entrées
Side Dish Recipes
Dessert Recipes
Appetizers
Appetizers to Serve with Wine
Appetizers are an important part of wine tasting events. Wine stimulates the appetite, so having some munchies available keeps all of your guests happy. Wine goes best with simple, rustic fare that is neither bland nor too bold. Cheese is always a good accompaniment for wine. Serve the cheese with bread or crackers. Fruit and olives are another good choice. You will find lots of appetizer ideas here for serving with wine. The appetizers will appease your guests, even if you are not serving anything more substantial. Take a look and choose the recipes you think your guests will like best. They are simple and easy to make. These recipes will pair well with wine any time.
Appetizers Made with Wine
Like many other recipes, you can find appetizer recipes that have wine as one of their ingredients. The wine highlights the flavors in the dishes, elevating them to something special. Serve these appetizers before a formal meal or as part of a menu of appetizers. From seafood to the green stuff, these recipes will taste fabulous. Wine sauce is also a way to incorporate the flavors into appetizers... the sauce can be poured on lots of different appetizers. The wine adds a wonderful savory flavor to almost anything. They are appropriate for many different occasions. Serve them for holidays, at parties or take them to a dinner party. You will be asked for the recipes wherever you serve them.
Creole Boiled Shrimp with Tomato Wine Recipe
Jumbo Grilled Sea Scallops with Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade and Green Goddess Dressing
Goat Cheese Appetizers in Filo Pastry Canapes Recipe
Authentic Thai Fishcake Recipe with a Dipping Sauce
One of the Best Stuffed Mushroom Recipes with Garlic Beef
Butterflied Shrimp Cocktail with Shrimp Cocktail Sauce Recipe
Amazing Tuna Ceviche Recipe with Shrimp
Gorgeous Garlic Lime Shrimp
Grilled Tomato-Flavored Chicken Shashlik with Herby Potatoes
One of the Best Recipes for Grilled Shrimp Kabobs with Lime
Simple Recipes for Pan Fried Scallops
Savory Shrimp Appetizers Recipes and Leek Tartlets
Amazing Artichoke Appetizer Tartlets
Simple Four Ingredient Baked Brie Appetizer
One of the Best Chicken Appetizer Recipes with Mushrooms
Ahi Tuna Appetizers - Gourmet Wonton Stacks with Fresh Tuna
Endive with Avocado Homemade Salsa Recipe
Quail Starter with Kale Served on a Crispy Polenta Cake
One of the Best Recipes for Grilled Shrimp Kabobs
Fancy Gourmet Appetizers with Beet and Feta Cheese
Egg and Satsuma Puff Pastry Appetizers
Recipe for Grilled Peaches Appetizer with Prosciutto
Fried Calamari Recipe with a Creamy Lemon Dressing
Soup Recipes
Pairing Wine with Soup
Pairing up some wine with a soup course is rather tricky. One of the best ways to handle this is to look at the liquid portion of the soup as a sauce. Look at the protein in the soup as the main ingredient. So, if you were making chicken soup, the chicken would be the main ingredient. For creamy soups, consider a heavier wine. For broth soups, you want to lighten up the wine as well. Spicy soups may call for a red wine, but you must carefully balance the heartiness with the tannins. Tannins will make hot flavors seem hotter. If you like it hot, go for it. Try to choose a wine that can double with the next course; soup may easily be finished before they have finished their wine.
Wine in Soup
Wine can make a terrific flavor addition to soup. It is usually added to robust soups like cheese soup, but you can also add it to vegetable soup or any other soup, for that matter. In fact, red wine is a delightful addition to an onion based soup. Wine also helps add depth to homemade mushroom soup. With so many different recipes you can add wine to, why soup? Soup is one of the ultimate comfort foods. Wine adds depth and complexity to many soups, making them even better than they were before. You can even make such a thing as wine soup. This is a simple soup that you can enjoy pureed or with small chunks left in it for texture.
Hearty Czech Style Sausage and Cabbage Soup
African Fish and Palm Nut Soup
How to Make the Best Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Classic French Onion Soup with White Wine and Fresh Herbs
Beautiful Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Classic Pumpkin Soup with Bacon and Basil
Yin Yang Spiral of Roasted Red Pepper Butternut Squash Soup
Oh So Delicious Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe
Mexican Recipe for Taco Soup with Cilantro
Simple Seafood Chowder Recipe with Corn
Easy Corn Chowder Recipes with Bacon
The Best New England Clam Chowder Recipe
Easy Cheesy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
Salad
Pairing Salads with Wine
Spring and summer means more salads, so knowing what wine to serve with each type of salad will come in handy. As the weather gets warmer, it is only natural for diners to choose lighter wines. Creamy dressings can go nicely with a light dry wine. Acidic vinaigrettes need to have a milder vinegar or be softened by a fruit puree before you can use a fruity wine with the salad. Asian style salads go well with a light, sweet wine like Riesling, while an Italian caprese salad goes well with a balanced white wine like pinot gris. Pair the salad using the sauce when picking a wine unless there is another flavor in the salad more dominant than the dressing.
Using Wine in Fruit Salad
Fruit salad works well with a sauce made with wine. The wine you choose will depend on the fruit you are using. Red wine makes a spicier, robust sauce while white wine makes a lighter, sweeter sauce. If you prefer not to use wine, substitute purple or white grape juice accordingly. Using a wine sauce on fruit salad elevates it to an elegant dish. Whether you like melons or berries, using a wine sauce can really make your salad special. If you have a special meal coming up, think about trying some of these delicious recipes to make a good impression. Put the whipped cream aside and eat a real fruit salad that is elegant and grown up. The sauce complements the fruit in a subtle way that brings out the best of the fruit and the sauce.
Lobster Salad Recipe with a Lime and Basil Salsa
Refreshing Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad Recipe
Spinach Salad Recipe with Fruit and Nuts
Poppy Seed and Safflower Dressing
Pumpkin Oil Salad Dressing
Gourmet Seafood Salad with Crab and Langoustine
Shrimp Salad Recipe with Marie Rose Sauce
Exotic Fruit Salad with Dragon Fruit
Easy Rice Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Traditional Greek Salad Recipe
Creamy Chicken Bacon Club Salad with Avocado
Green Pea Salad Recipe with Juicy Pears
Wakame Seaweed Salad with Sesame Seeds
Warm Steak Salad Recipe with Feta Cheese
Mexican Style Grilled Chicken Salad
Entrées
What Wine Goes with my Entrée?
The right glass of wine can bring out more flavors in any entrée, making the dish really memorable. Pairing it with the wrong wine, however, can be disaster. Check out our recipes that will recommend the wine that will complement the ingredients best. Amaze your family and friends by always serving the right wine without breaking the bank. Rely on our selections to see you through your holiday meals, romantic picnics and other wine emergencies. It will not matter if you are serving beef, lobster, or chicken. You will find a recommendation along with our recipes to help you wade through all those bottles at the shop. You will learn the basics of wine pairing to make the most of your recipes.
Cooking with Wine
Did you know that cooking with wine can actually be good for you? It adds lots of flavor to a recipe, but no fat. Try sautéing some vegetables in a little oil and wine instead of butter to cut the calories in your recipe. Replace some of your oil in the marinade with wine for delicious results. If you have never cooked with wine before, there is nothing to be nervous about. Wine adds depth and complexity of flavor to any dish. It does wonders with fish, beef, and almost any other ingredient you can think of. You can even use wine in baking and simmering. Peruse our selection of delicious recipes and give it a try.
Ham and Cheese Stuffed Pork Cutlets
Veal Escalope in a Herby Tomato Sauce
Pork Tenderloin Risotto
Greek Chicken Recipes
Pork Tenderloin and Rice Stir Fry with Green Peppers and Onion
Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe with a Lemon and Wine Sauce
Rack of Lamb Recipe with a Mustard and Garlic Sauce
Veal Cutlets in a California Wine Sauce
Stuffed Cabbage Recipe with Pork Mince and Red Wine
Beef Casserole Recipe with Vegetables and Red Wine
Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
Grilled Steak au Poivre with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Roast Potatoes
Pacific Salmon Recipe in Hollandaise Sauce with a Cheesy Pasta Salad
Grilled Duck Breast in Orange Sauce
Beef Tenderloin on a Bacon Risotto
Asian Chicken and Lettuce Wraps
Spicy Flaxseed Oil Pasta Sauce
Pan Seared Sirloin Steak with Mashed Potato and Aromatic Herbs
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Mashed Potato and Seasonal Vegetables
One of the Best Recipes Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp
Low Fat Alfredo Sauce Recipe
One of the Best Veal Stew Recipes with Herbs
Juicy Grilled Tuna Steak Recipe with a Zucchini Salsa
Grilled Stuffed Chicken Recipes with a Stewed Vegetable Garnish
How to Make Pork Cutlets with Lime Aioli
Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Roulade Recipe
Blissful Pork Chops and Blueberry
Seafood Spaghetti with Cream and Herbs
How to Grill Swordfish
Sensational Cabernet Wine Filet Mignon Recipe
How to Make Asian Chicken Salad Recipe with Orange
Pecan Crusted Tilapia with Coconut and Apricot Rice
Blackened Swordfish with Mixed Spices
Side Dish Recipes
Wine Sauces for Side Dishes
Wine can add a lot of flavor to sauces. Make a delicious cranberry sauce with port for the holidays, or make a spicy sauce to cover your everyday cabbage recipe. A mushroom sauce made with white wine may be the perfect topping for a side dish of pasta. There are so many ways to utilize wine's flavor when you are making sauces. Try a delectable red wine sauce on top of fried green tomatoes for something different. You will love what you can do with wine in a sauce. Sauces can top any number of side dishes. Take a look at our delicious selection of recipes and see what kind of magic you can make.
Cooking Side Dishes with Wine
Wine can intensify the earthy flavors of mushrooms and root vegetables when it is added to a recipe. It enhances the natural flavors of the vegetables and brightens the dish. Wine is also perfect to add to side dishes that contain fruit, like cabbage and apples or any dish with tomatoes. Choose side dishes that will complement your main dish, especially if it also uses wine. Try to keep the wines used in the meal in the same family. Certain vegetables also do especially well with wine like asparagus, leeks, and any vegetable risottos. Make the most of your recipe and let the wine bring additional flavors to the party. Take a look at the selection of recipes we offer and give them a try.
Fresh Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with Cream Sauce
Baked Baby Artichokes with Lemon and Parsley
Delicious Spaghetti in a Bolognese Sauce Recipe
Citrus Ginger Stir Fried Vegetables
Juicy Roasted Eggplant with Cheese and Herbs
Spinach and Cheese Scones Recipe
Sweet Potato Mash with Cinnamon and Cream
Pickled Chilies with Garlic and Rosemary
Authentic Potato Gratin from Scandinavia
Roasted Fennel Recipe with Cheese and Basil
Dessert Recipes
Choosing the Right Wine for Dessert
A dessert wine is sweet. It pairs nicely with the sweet flavors of desserts. Of course, like any other pairing, different wines go best with different desserts. A light Riesling is perfect for a fruit torte or a slice of cheesecake, for example. Ice wines are growing in popularity in this category. They are made from grapes harvested after a snow, so the sugars in the grapes are very concentrated. Of course, sometimes you want another type of wine to serve with desserts to highlight a certain quality in the dessert. Look for serving suggestions with all our dessert recipes so you can find a great tasting wine to go with your next dessert. Let us be your guide.
Making Dessert with Wine
Did you know you can make dessert with wine? Amber colored dessert wines and ice wine are wonderful in fruit desserts with pears or melon. A sweet muscat dessert wine is perfect for sweeter fruits like strawberries. The wine makes a wonderful sweet sauce to drizzle over the berries. You do not need to use dessert wine when cooking desserts, either. A dry white wine is perfect for peaches and wine. Merlot can be used with strawberries and cream. Port can be put into cake. There are lots of ways to cook dessert with a hint of wine to add flavor and color to the finished dessert. Take a look at our recipe selection and give one a try.
Indulgent Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe
Almond Crème Brûlée Recipe
Egg Custard - Authentic Flan Recipe Spanish
Gourmet Minted Fruit Salad in California Riesling
Warm Almond Pastries with Creamy Ricotta
Authentic Italian Tiramisu
Indian Carrot Halwa Dessert
Chocolate Mint Bombe with Chocolate Truffles
Fresh Strawberries with Chocolate Covered Cherries
Summer Fruit Sponge Cake Recipe with a Vanilla Cream Filling
Traditional French Plum Tart Recipe
Creamy Coconut Pudding with Vanilla
Spiced Apples Recipe in a Fig Pastries
Strawberry No Bake Cheesecake
White Chocolate and Strawberry Sundaes
How to Select Wine like a Pro
While selecting a wine can be compared to an art, with a few simple guidelines, you will be just fine. White wines are best for light foods. If your meal will have subtle flavors, stick to the white wine section. Heartier foods can be paired with red wines. When faced with the choice to go with a dry wine or not, all dry means is that it is not sweet. If you prefer a sweeter wine, go for it. If not, choose something dry.
Another consideration is the weight of the wine. Weight refers to the amount of alcohol in the wine. For example, white wines like Riesling and Pinot Grigio are lighter than Chardonnay. For red, Merlot is lighter than Cabernet. Another aspect to consider is the body. This is the thickness and texture of the wine in your mouth. This is something that can only be determined through tasting what you like.
You can also consider vintage year if you like. 1990, for example, was a good year for wines all across the board. Some years have less rainfall near harvest than others. This will affect the resulting wine. An important tip to remember is that older wine is not necessarily better wine.
When all is said and done, what is most important is that you like the wine you choose. Take these other tips into consideration, but if you do not care for that particular wine, it really does not make a difference what vintage it is or if it is red or white. Try different wines to see what you like best about wines so you can make a good choice when you need to. When you find one you like, remember the winery, the vintage, the weight, body, and dryness.
Celebrating with Wine
Wine is made for celebrating. It has been used to make celebrations special since ancient times. What would a wedding be without the traditional toast? Add some wine to make an anniversary special and romantic. You can also take it with you on a picnic lunch to a beautiful spot for a private celebration. A really good wine can make the evening extra special. Learning about wines and how to use them will help you make the most of any celebration you have in the works. Think of how you can use wine in your next celebration. If you do not enjoy drinking it, think of a delicious recipe to use it in.
Whether you are drinking the wine or using it in a special recipe, the extra flavor imparted by the wine can make the simplest comfort food elevate to something spectacular. For example, say you are making a delicious homemade macaroni and cheese. If you are using a lot of cheddar in the recipe, choose a robust Cabernet or Zinfandel to accompany the dish. Add some Parmesan cheese to really make the wine sing.
Wine is also a part of many food festivals around the world. These festivals make the most of wine pairings with the food in question, like seafood, for example. Some families also buy a case of a good wine from the year a new baby is born. The case is set aside for the child to enjoy as an adult at special occasions in their life. While this type of celebration is not for every family, those that do it say it is a wonderful way to commemorate the birth of their baby throughout the baby's life.
Wine Glasses
Choosing the right wine glass can enhance the bouquet of your wine. Wine glasses should be made of clear glass to show off the color of the wine. There are three basic types of wine glasses: the red wine glass, which has a rounder bowl, the thinner white wine glass, and finally, the thinnest of them all, the champagne flute.
Red wine glasses are shaped to increase the rate of oxidation for the wine, which releases the flavor and aroma. The height of this glass also puts the wine directly into the back of your mouth so you can get the maximum flavor from each sip. If you choose a burgundy glass instead, it is slightly larger, allowing you to sip the wine to the tip of your tongue to get more of the sweetness.
For white wine, you want less oxidation so you can enjoy the delicate nuances found in each wine. This is why the mouth of the glass is smaller. The smaller size also keeps the wine cooler longer. If the glass flares slightly at the lip, the wine will go to the tip and sides of the tongue so you can enjoy the sweetness more fully. If you have a straighter glass, it will disperse the wine to the sides and back of the tongue to get the full flavor. Champagne flutes are even smaller to preserve the qualities in the sparkling wines. These thin glasses allow the bubbles to build up properly before drinking.
There are many variations and subcategories for wine glasses, but if you use these three, you will be fine. Always remember to hold the wine glass by the stem. This prevents fingerprints from marring the look of the bowl. It also prevents the wine from warming from your fingers. Since they now have stemless wine glasses, this is not important to everyone who enjoys wine.
Picking the Right Wine for a Picnic
Picnics can be fun and romantic, especially if you pack the right wine. Keep it simple so no part of the meal overwhelms the rest. With wine, choose to serve fruit or cheese. Plan accordingly so the wine and food are kept at the right temperature; this is especially important if you have hot weather when you plan your picnic. Keeping your food and wine chilled will make them taste better and it will avoid any food related illnesses.
Berries and grapes need no preparation beyond a good wash. Apples and pears are delicious, but do not cut them until you are ready to eat so they do not turn brown. Riesling, Muscat or other sweet white wine pairs well with many kinds of fruit, so consider one of them for your picnic.
If you are taking cheese, choose a neutral cracker or a baguette to provide the base. The cheese should be firm and low moisture to withstand the conditions outside without losing condition. Stay away from cheeses that are very bland or those that are very strong or pungent. A nice wheel of Brie is always a good choice; Gouda also stands up well to the picnic environment. A dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay goes well with these cheeses. You could also choose a bubbly champagne or a Bordeaux or burgundy.
This simple meal is satisfying, special and makes a perfect romantic picnic. It also takes you back to ancient times, when people ate more rustically with bread, cheese, fruit and wine. Make the most of it so you have a memorable day. Do this for a unique date with your someone special. They will love you for it.
Serving Temperature of Red Wine
The old adage has been to serve red wine at room temperature. This worked fine before we had central heating and most houses remained between 50 and 60 degrees. Now that we tend to keep our houses warmer, this does not work very well. Ideally, full-bodied red wines are at their best between 55 and 63 degrees. If they get much warmer, you will be able to taste their imperfections rather than their highlights.
The best way to attain this is to remove your red wine from the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to serve it. If the wine is at room temperature, place it in an ice bucket or the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. If you find your red wine has gotten overly chilled, simply roll the bowl of the glass between your hands for a minute or two to warm it. Sniff the top of the glass while you do so. This lets you enjoy the bouquet of the wine as it aerates. It is always better to err on the side of too cold rather than too warm since the red wine will naturally warm up to room temperature eventually.
For lighter red wines like Beaujolais, serve them between 46 and 55 degrees. Making the effort to serve these wines at these temperatures will give you the best the wine has. All the fruit and other flavors in the wine will rise to the forefront, letting you enjoy every sip.
Basic Wine Information - Typical Wine Flavors and Aromas
Some people find it strange to hear wine being described as having a black pepper flavor or a melon aroma. After all, neither of these ingredients are used to make wine so how can a wine smell or taste like that? Actually, wine has a lot of subtleties and if you take the time to savor and appreciate wine, you will begin to notice delicate aromas and flavors.
Examples of Wine Aromas and Flavors
Some of the more intense wine flavors are spices, herbs, mint, licorice, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and vanilla. A wine can smell or taste like flowers, perhaps honeysuckle, violets or rose, or it can have a general nuttiness or remind you of almonds or hazelnut. Fruity flavors are common in wine and some examples include mango, fig, lychee, apricot, banana, apple, raisin, pear, plum, cherry, and blackcurrant, melon, citrus, peach, or orange.
Maybe you can identify berry flavors like strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, or mixed berries, or a vegetable like asparagus. Some wines have plant flavors, including wood, tea, tobacco, oak, or grass. Leather is another possible aroma or flavor.
The Importance of Aroma
The aroma can tell you more about the wine than the flavor, believe it or not. The tongue is capable of tasting four flavors, and those are bitter, sweet, sour, or salty. There is also a fifth one called "umami" which only a few people can taste. All the delicate flavors in the wine, such as cantaloupe, violet, black pepper or tobacco, cannot be tasted with your tongue, but must be smelt with your nose instead. Your nose is vital to tasting a wine well.
The seven main types of smells are peppermint, floral, musk, pungent, camphor, ether and putrid, although most people are able to differentiate between ten thousand different aromas. As we get older, our sense of smell declines. Other things like smoking can interfere with your sense of smell and therefore your sense of taste or, looking at it another way, your ability to enjoy wine.
When you swirl wine in a wine glass, the wine molecules are stirred up into the air, which means you can then inhale them. The olfactory membranes, which are responsible for smell, are small and located under the bridge of the nose.
One of the best ways to understand about wine aromas is to sample some food and then some matching wine so, if a wine is supposed to have peach aromas, eat a slice of peach and then try the wine and try to find the peachiness in the wine. You can also try to match recipes to the wine.
Different wines can smell and taste different, depending on who is tasting it, despite the aromas and flavors listed on the label under "basic wine information" - just because someone else states that a rich red wine has a blackcurrant and tobacco aroma does not mean you will automatically identify that.
Perhaps you are trying new wine with your partner. He or she might say the wine reminds them of peaches and you might be able to taste or smell a hint of vanilla. That does not mean one of you is right and one is wrong, merely that your senses of smell and taste work slightly differently. The more wines you taste, the better at identifying the aromas and flavors you will become.