Wine Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! == Culinary uses == {{Further|Wine and food pairing}} [[File:Réduction du vin rouge.jpg|thumb|[[Reduction (cooking)|Reduction]] of red wine for a sauce by cooking it on a stovetop. It is called a reduction because the heat boils off some of the water, leaving a more concentrated, wine-flavoured sauce.]] Wine is a popular and important [[drink]] that accompanies and enhances a wide range of cuisines, from the simple and traditional [[stew]]s to the most sophisticated and complex [[haute cuisine]]s. Wine is often served with dinner. Sweet [[dessert wine]]s may be served with the [[dessert]] course. In fine restaurants in Western countries, wine typically accompanies dinner. At a restaurant, patrons are helped to make good food-wine pairings by the restaurant's [[sommelier]] or wine waiter. Individuals dining at home may use wine guides to help make food–wine pairings. Wine is also drunk without the accompaniment of a meal in [[wine bar]]s or with a selection of cheeses (at a wine and cheese party). Wines are also used as a theme for organizing various events such as [[festival]]s around the world; the city of [[Kuopio]] in [[North Savonia]], [[Finland]] is known for its annual Kuopio Wine Festivals (''Kuopion viinijuhlat'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kuopiowinefestival.fi/|title=Kuopion Viinijuhlat » Kuopio Wine Festival|publisher=Kuopio Wine Festival|access-date=2020-07-25|language=fi|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726025917/https://kuopiowinefestival.fi/|url-status=live}}</ref> Wine is important in cuisine not just for its value as a drink, but as a flavor agent, primarily in [[stock (food)|stocks]] and [[braising]], since its acidity lends balance to rich [[Basic taste#Savouriness|savory]] or [[sweet]] dishes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/6-secrets-of-cooking-with-wine|title=6 Secrets of Cooking With Wine|website=WebMD|access-date=4 May 2020|archive-date=14 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614071208/https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/6-secrets-of-cooking-with-wine|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Wine sauce]] is an example of a culinary sauce that uses wine as a primary ingredient.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bHp1GJk8IMcC&pg=PA15 | title=Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide, 7th Edition | publisher=Simon and Schuster | author=Parker, Robert M. | year=2008 | page=15 | isbn=978-1-4391-3997-4}}</ref> Natural wines may exhibit a broad range of alcohol content, from below 9% to above 16% [[Alcohol by volume|ABV]], with most wines being in the 12.5–14.5% range.<ref>{{cite book |author=Jancis Robinson |title=The Oxford Companion to Wine |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc |url-access=registration |edition=3rd |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-860990-2 }} See ''alcoholic strength'' at p. 10.</ref> [[Fortified wine]]s (usually with brandy) may contain 20% alcohol or more. Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page