What to Do with your Leftover Wine
We've all been there before. The last glass left in a bottle of red is left wasting away on the kitchen counter, and before we have time to drink it, it turners bad. Instead of pouring it down the sink, take a look at some great ideas you can do with dreaded extra wine:
1. Little Shop of Horrors: The Wine Addition
While I may be aging myself with that reference to a plant come to life, the theory remains the same! Although pouring leftover wine directly onto your plants can dehydrate them and stunt their growth, you can use that wine in your compost bin! The wine will activate the bacteria which in the long run will help the growth of your plants. Fun fact! You can also spray a mixture of wine and water onto your fruits and veggies to help kill bacteria and remove impurities.
Enjoy your wine as it was intended, with the best wine stemware and accessories from Taste of Purple!
2. The Secret's in the Sauce
Several recipes call for a little wine, especially certain types of sauce. So, what do you do when your Coq Au Vin needs a cup of wine to pack it full of flavor? Head to your freezer! The next time you have wine left in your bottle, pour it into an extra ice cube tray. When a recipe calls for wine just pop out what you need! Pro tip: You can also put your leftover wine into your pasta water to add a little flavor and color to your next bowl of rigatoni!
3. Something for the festive season
I find that with all the holiday parties, I tend to have more leftover wine in December than usual. Making Mulled Wine with leftover wine is a great use for leftover wine. However, mulled Wine is most enjoyable during all the cold-weather months. If this sounds good read this simple recipe.
Related: How to Store Wine at Home: Best Ways + Tips
4. Cold Weather Essentials
Another excellent winter favorite, Stew. I love a good beef or venison stew as it's warm and hearty. I never make stew without red wine. It adds so much to the dish. By adding red wine, you can truly elevate your dish. Not only does it bring a certain depth of flavor to the dish, but it also brings a beautiful color.
You don't need much, just around a cup and a half of a robust, full-bodied red wine to take a good dish and make it a great one. Stews aren't the only thing that wines can elevate. Many soups recipes out there require just a touch of wine.
Try one of these delectable dishes:
5. Mad about Mussels
I am a big fan of mussels, well, all seafood. One of my favorite things to do with leftover white wine is to make Steamed Mussels. Martha Stewart has an excellent recipe for steamed mussels. It's a super easy meal that is great in the summer, have it with a nice side salad, and you are good to go.
Related: Buying a Case of Wine (Ultimate Buyer’s Guide)
6. In the mood for a treat
We can all agree that when it comes to wine and cake, they make the perfect pair. So naturally, moving to use wine in your cake makes sense. You can have your wine and eat it too, with a few cake recipes that use a wide range of wines. For those who love decadent cakes, here are three recipes you have to try:
7. That's my Jam
With a little time on the stove your wine can be transformed into a lot of useful products. Simmer with some sugar and cook it down into a wine syrup. It's perfect to drizzle over a steak.
Syrup not your thang? That's ok! Add some coarse sea salt to it and create a spice to use for future meals or to give out as gifts. Or take that same syrup and add a little pectin. Let it set and bam! You have some homemade wine jelly to use on your next cheese platter! The possibilities are endless folks! Need a little more info on this tip? Check out video on Leftover wine to see a demo.
It's clear we never need to head to the drains with our wine again! But not all wine ideas are all they're cracked up to be.
Related: How to open A wine Bottle Like A Pro
8. Sangria anyone?
Want to change things up but still in the drinking mood? Try making Sangria, Its a fruity refreshing wine punch. You can make it with ether red or white wine, though its traditionally made with red wine. Below are two recipes for you to try:
Wine Baths. Chardon-nay or Chardon-yay?
One of the hottest things on the market at present is called Vinotherapy, a line of treatments devoted to taking care of your skin with wine. While several of these treatments, are beneficial, the idea of pouring your leftover wine into the bath for a soak has been consistently proven to be a waste of time. Your body cannot absorb the resveratrol in this manner, so the benefits are minimal. But if you're just interested in pretty pink water and the smell of aging merlot then more power to you! Soak away! Otherwise, leave the vinotherapy to the experts!
Ok dear wine lover. I've taught you all I can. Go out there and get creative with your leftover wine.
Is your wine tasting as good as it should? We craft Taste of Purple glassware to enhance the taste of your wine.