7 Things To Do With Wine You Didn't Like



Sometimes you want to branch out in your Wine-Comfort-Zone and take a chance on a bottle you've never tried.  If you are not knowledgeable and pick something impulsively - much like I do - sometimes it's not what you expected - and even sometimes awful.

Instead of wasting your money, here are some ideas to do with wine:

1.  Mulled Wine

Usually a holiday treat, it really can be enjoyed any time of year.  Mulled wine is usually a sweetened and spiced wine, served warm.  Everyone has a different recipe - but here are my two favourites!

Mulled Wine - Gimme Some Oven

Jamie's Mulled Wine - Jamie Oliver


2.   Fruit Glaze

In a small pot, whisk wine with a little honey until slightly thickened and becoming a glaze.  Whisk in a pinch of Cinnamon and a sprinkle of Sugar (white or brown) and take off the heat.  When cooled, toss with chopped fruit - Apples, Peaches, Grapes and Clementines are my favourite - and serve just as is - or use as a topping on Cheesecake or Pound Cake (we just discovered this!)


3.   Sangria

These are all the rage!  Mix wine with Fruit Juice (I usually do 50/50) and a few chunky pieces of fruit of garnish.  I will also add a splash of seltzer or tonic water.


4.  Marinades

There are a ton of recipes for wine based marinades - and I haven't made one I haven't liked.   There are thousands of recipes on Pinterest!


5.   Salad Dressings

This is my go-to for using up opened but unfinished wine - but it works great with wine you didn't like too.   Just replace some (or all) of the vinegar in any Salad Dressing recipe.


6.  Wine Spritzers

If a wine is too dry - mixing half a glass of wine with a generous splash of soda will give you a wine spritzer!  Especially with white wines - I've been known to add a little Sprite and a lemon wedge.


7.  Wine Cubes

This goes for any wine - good, bad or leftover - freeze in ice cube trays to save for future use.  All of these recipes can be made with defrosted wine cubes - or use instead of Ice Cubes in a drink - it will add flavour without diluting!


What are your tips on how to avoid wasting wine?