What is the best white wine to use in a simple risotto? I used a CA Sauvignon Blanc that was fine to drink, but not so great in the risotto.

It actually seemed like the recipe called for too much wine (1 cup / 1.75 cups of rice + what turned out to be the correct amount of stock). I followed a Deborah Madison recipe that uses vegetable stock. (I even used her recipe for stock.) Your thoughts? Thank you, everyone. ;o)

AntoniaJames
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10 Comments

thirschfeld
thirschfeld February 20, 2014
Especially good are buttery chards
 
thirschfeld
thirschfeld February 20, 2014
Antonio, I find some sauvignon blanc to be too sweet to cook with. I often us Chardonnay as long as it isn't to oakey.
 
Donna M.
Donna M. February 19, 2014
That seems like a lot of wine to me too - I use 1/3 cup for 2 cups rice. To be honest, my default white wine for cooking is dry (white) vermouth, especially when I'm only using a relatively small amount. I always have a bottle on hand, and since it's fortified it stays good for quite a while after it's opened. It has a nice smooth flavor in sauces and doesn't seem to overwhelm things, even though it is stronger than "regular" wine.
 
bigpan
bigpan February 19, 2014
I've always found it best to make the risotto with good broth or stock and save the wine for my glass.
 
cookinginvictoria
cookinginvictoria February 19, 2014
I agree with Pat -- I think that 1 cup of wine is too much for risotto since the rice absorbs the wine's flavors so readily. I usually use 1/4 to a 1/2 cup depending upon the quantity of risotto that I am making. I usually go with a dry white wine when making risotto -- a nice Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc seems to work really well. :)
 
amysarah
amysarah February 19, 2014
I typically use Pinot Grigio - northern Italian dish and wine from the Veneto...may be simplistic reasoning, but it works! (A decent one is fine for this; need not be the most costly one.)
 
ChezHenry
ChezHenry February 19, 2014
Go for a dryer, more neutral wine, such as a Chardonay, Chablis or Pinot Grigio. Go French on the first two-they dont use Oak there for finishing. The rice will significantly absorb the flavoring, which is the idea of Risotto-dont let the wine interfere, go more neutral.
 
inpatskitchen
inpatskitchen February 18, 2014
Maybe too much wine...I looked at a number of her recipes and they all added 1/2 cup wine which I see in most recipes for risotto.
 
bugbitten
bugbitten February 18, 2014
I got in trouble once using a Sancerre in a seafood bisque. Some sauvignon blancs can be borderline sour. You might try a pinot gris or pinot grigio.
 
CookOnTheFly
CookOnTheFly February 18, 2014
I use cheap, "house wine" for my risotto and paella. Carlo Rossi Rhine Wine - about $16 for 4 liters - reminds me of the "house wine" that has been plopped on the table at many a Greek taverna or Spanish tapas place for decades. Save the Sauvignon Blanc for drinking!
 
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