Why You Should Never Throw Away Flat Sparkling Wine
If you prefer your wine sparking rather than still, you've probably experienced that terrible moment when the carbonation falls flat. But while flat wine can feel pretty useless when you just want another glass, there's a compelling reason why you shouldn't throw out flat sparkling wine.
When your sparkling wine doesn't "sparkle" much anymore, save it for your culinary endeavors. Sparkling wines are great additions to a variety of dishes, and even sparkling wines and champagnes that have fallen flat have enough flavor to make a real mark on your food. Whether you prefer to make baked goods like pink champagne cupcakes or enjoy whipping up savory sauces, sparkling wine will add a new dimension to your favorite recipes. If you choose a dry sparkling wine, you won't even have to worry about your favorite dishes coming out too sweet, either. The next time your sparkling wine goes flat, keep it around — and watch it elevate your go-to meals and snacks.
What you should know about cooking with sparkling wine
All of those bubbles in sparkling wine serve a flavor purpose as well as a textural one — they typically give the drink a more acidic flavor than its still counterpart. The higher the acidity in wine, the more flavor it can typically impart on a dish.
That extra acidity is fantastic for a variety of recipes, but that's not the only thing to consider when you think about how sparkling wine will flavor your dishes. If you worry that adding sparkling wine to your recipes will sweeten them too much, you're onto something — but you can also prevent it from happening. Some sparkling wines are noticeably sweet in addition to their acidity and can make a dish a little too saccharine if you add them in. Before you resolve to cook with your sparkling wine, check to see if it has "Brut" on the label. This means that the sparkling wine you have on hand is dry, so it won't make your dishes sweeter when you're looking to add less distinct flavors.
The best ways to cook with it
One of the most appealing parts of sparkling wine is its versatility in cooking. Not only is it good for a few drinks, but it also flavors nearly any type of recipe well.
Whether you're looking to brighten up an entrée, a side, or a dessert, a little bit of sparkling wine can do the trick. Sparkling wine is a flavorful addition to vinegar and other salad dressings, but it can also hold its own in heavier sauces like beurre blanc. It can also keep meats — like roast chicken — moist so that you never have to reach for the water after a bite of chicken again. That's not all, though: Sparkling wine adds extra levels of flavor to baked goods and desserts and pairs flawlessly with chocolate. But if you opt to add sparkling wine to your favorite desserts as opposed to more savory dishes, make sure to use a Brut variation so that the sweetness of the wine doesn't overpower the other sweet ingredients.
Flat sparkling wine has more use value than you might initially think — it'll take your meals and baked goods from enjoyable to downright mouthwatering.