What Is Burgundy wine and How Can I Use It?

Burgundy wine rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 36 recipes to cook with it.

What is burgundy wine?

Burgundy wine takes its name from the Burgundy region of eastern France, where the classic red is made from Pinot Noir grapes. A true red Burgundy is dry and medium-bodied, built on bright acidity, with cherry and raspberry fruit and an earthy undertone as it ages.

In American kitchens and on old recipe cards, "Burgundy" often means any generic dry red wine, sometimes a jug wine with no connection to France. For cooking that distinction barely matters, since the wine is there to add acidity and body rather than to be sipped.

This is a dry wine, not a sweet one. If a recipe calls for Burgundy, it wants a dry red.

Cooking With Burgundy

Burgundy is the wine behind the great French braises. It is the soul of beef bourguignon, where chunks of beef simmer for hours with the wine, mushrooms, onions, and bacon until everything turns silky.

The same dry red logic drives a French Stew and Campbell's Beef Bourguignonne on this site.

The technique is slow reduction. The wine goes in early and simmers down with stock, and its acidity tenderizes the meat while the flavor concentrates. It works the same way for poultry braises like Wine Braised Cornish Hen and a long-cooked Bill's Pot Roast.

A splash also lifts tomato sauces and chili, cutting the richness with acidity. You will see it called for in Best Ever Pizza Sauce and Bodacious Chili for exactly that reason.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Burgundy pairs naturally with beef, lamb, game, mushrooms, bacon, and root vegetables. The earthy, fruity profile of Pinot Noir is what makes those braises taste deep rather than just winey.

The most common mistake is using sweet "cooking wine" or a sweet red. The sugar throws off a savory braise and can leave it jammy. Reach for something genuinely dry.

The other mistake is not cooking the wine long enough. Raw wine tastes acidic and boozy in a sauce. It needs time to simmer so the alcohol cooks off and the harsh edge softens into background depth.

What to Use Instead

Any dry red wine substitutes cleanly for Burgundy in cooking. A Pinot Noir is the truest match for its light body and acidity. A Merlot or an inexpensive dry red blend works well too, adding a little more body.

If you want to skip alcohol, use beef or mushroom stock with a teaspoon of red wine vinegar to bring back the acidity. A splash of unsweetened cranberry or pomegranate juice adds the fruity, tannic note.

You do not need an expensive bottle. A sound, cheap dry red gives the same result once it has cooked down.

Buying and Keeping It

For cooking, buy an inexpensive dry red. There is no reason to pour a fine French Burgundy into a stew, since the subtle qualities you pay for cook away. A jug red or a budget Pinot Noir is exactly right.

Table wine, unlike fortified wine, fades within a few days of opening as it oxidizes. Recork it, keep it in the fridge, and use it within three to five days.

After that it turns sour and will make the sauce taste off rather than rich. If you cook with wine often, a bag-in-box dry red keeps for weeks and is handy to have around.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Food group: Burgundy wine is a member of the Beverages US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

勃艮第的葡萄酒

British (UK) term

Burgundy wine

en français

vins de Bourgogne

en español

vino burdeos

How much does burgundy wine weigh?

Related

Beverages

Recipes using burgundy wine

There are 36 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Teriyaki Beef Kebabs

I marinated the beef overnight. After grilling, I sprinkled the kababs with toasted sesame seeds. Yum!

Cioppinio

San Francisco-style seafood stew loaded with shrimp, clams, crab, and whitefish simmered in a garlicky tomato-wine broth. A homemade shellfish stock from the shrimp shells builds deep, briny flavor.

French Stew

French-style beef stew braised low and slow in Burgundy wine with cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, baby carrots, and green olives. Four hours in the oven, almost no prep.

Chinese Pot Roast

Chinese pot roast with beef chuck braised in stir-fry sauce and burgundy wine with mushrooms. A tender, Asian-style pot roast with glossy mushroom gravy.

Bacon Boeuf Burgundy Bourguignon

Beef bourguignon braises floured chuck in a full bottle of Burgundy with bacon, cognac and herbs until the meat falls apart. Finished the classic way with browned pearl onions and sauteed mushrooms.

Thick & Spicy Spaghetti Sauce

Thick and spicy spaghetti sauce gets its character from an unconventional spice rack: basil, paprika, cinnamon, curry powder, hot sauce, and burgundy wine simmered slow into a deep, complex pasta sauce.

Rosy Berry Soup

Chilled raspberry soup simmered with Burgundy wine and cinnamon sticks, strained smooth, and served cold with a swirl of cream. An elegant summer starter.

Pears In Red Wine

Pears poached in red Burgundy wine with cinnamon and lemon zest. An elegant French dessert with just 5 ingredients, served warm or cold in ruby-red syrup.

Best Ever Pizza Sauce

Easy pizza sauce to take it up a notch that uses store bought sauce which is then thickened and spiked with added ingredients.

Burgundy & Tarragon Poached Chicken Breasts

Burgundy and tarragon poached chicken simmers boneless breasts in chicken broth, red wine, and fresh tarragon, then thickens the poaching liquid into a glossy pan sauce. A lean French weeknight chicken with bistro elegance.

Beef Pita--Greek Style

A Greek-style phyllo pie layered with spiced ground beef, mushrooms, wine, and a rich blend of feta, cream cheese, and cottage cheese. Feeds 12 and bakes to a flaky golden crust.

Turtle Soup

Well, I hope this recipe helps in the use of turtles, though I suspect you will have to have a very large family or like turtle soup a lot, or scale the recipe to a more manageable quantity.

Barbequed Catfish in Tomato Sauce

Grilled catfish fillets smothered in a homemade tomato sauce with burgundy wine, garlic, and fresh parsley. Low-fat, low-calorie, and ready in under 40 minutes.

The Ark's Chicken Marsala

The Ark's chicken Marsala: pan-seared chicken breast with garlic and button mushrooms in a Burgundy and demi-glace sauce, finished with butter for restaurant gloss.

Burgundy Style Beef

Beef bourguignon with round steak marinated in Burgundy wine, then braised with bacon, onions, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms until fork-tender. A classic French stew with real depth of flavor.

Hy's Georgia Chain-Gang Chili

Hy's Georgia chain-gang chili: a three-meat marathon chili with burgundy-marinated beef, ground pork, and poached chicken, simmered three hours with three kinds of chiles, beer, and Sauterne.

Baked Burgundy Beef

Cubed beef chuck slow-baked in burgundy wine and French onion soup until fork-tender with a thick, rich gravy. Serve over buttered noodles for an effortless dinner.

Favourite Lard Boeuf Bourguignon

Lard boeuf bourguignon layers thin sliced rump beef with carrots, mushrooms, and pork fatback in burgundy wine and cognac. A slow-cooked French country casserole.

Pasta with Red Pepper & Lentil Sauce

Red pepper and lentil pasta sauce braised in red wine with garlic, onion, and basil, then pureed silky smooth. A hearty vegan sauce packed with plant protein and bold flavor.

Georgia Chain-Gang Chili

A big-batch, three-meat chili of beef, pork, and chicken, with the beef marinated overnight in burgundy wine, then slow-simmered for hours with beer, Sauterne, and a wallop of chiles. Serious chili for a crowd.

Cherry Chocolate Baked Alaska Cake

Cherry chocolate baked Alaska stacks devil's food cake with frozen cherry yogurt filling under a flash-baked cocoa meringue. Retro dessert drama with hot meringue and ice-cold center.

Medallions of Veal with Pistachio Butter Sauce

Medallions of Veal with Pistachio Butter Sauce recipe

Cold Strawberry Soup

Chilled strawberry soup blended with pineapple juice, Burgundy wine, and sour cream, topped with whipped cream and mint. A gorgeous no-cook fruit soup for summer entertaining.

Teriyaki Steak

Teriyaki marinated porterhouse steak with fresh ginger, garlic, orange zest, low-sodium soy sauce, and burgundy wine. A 24-hour marinade that infuses thick-cut steaks with bold Asian-inspired flavor.

Bill's Pot Roast

Dutch oven pot roast braised in beef broth, French onion soup, and Burgundy wine with rosemary, sage, and whole cloves. Fork-tender beef with carrots, potatoes, and onions. Sunday dinner classic.

Beef Pita

Layers of crispy buttered phyllo filled with spiced ground beef, mushrooms, and a creamy three-cheese blend of feta, cream cheese, and cottage cheese. A showstopper that feeds a crowd.

Blackberry Mint Sorbet

Blackberry mint sorbet with red Burgundy wine and a fresh mint-infused simple syrup. Adult dairy-free dessert with deep berry color, herbal lift, and subtle wine complexity. Naturally vegan.

Campbell's Beef Bourguignonne

Shortcut beef bourguignon using golden mushroom soup, Burgundy wine, bacon, and whole onions braised until fork-tender. All the French bistro flavor with half the effort.

Oven-Barbecued Short Ribs

Oven-barbecued short ribs braised in a Burgundy wine and tomato sauce with mustard, vinegar, and cayenne. Browned first, then slow-baked covered until fork-tender and falling off the bone.

Royal Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon with cubed round steak braised in burgundy wine with crispy bacon, pearl onions, and mushrooms, plus a splash of sherry and tomato paste. The classic French bistro stew made at home.

Wine Braised Cornish Hen

Cornish hen braised in burgundy wine with fresh raspberries, rosemary, thyme, and garlic, then finished under the broiler for crispy edges. An elegant dinner for one or a romantic meal for two.

New South Venison Steak

Venison steak braised in Burgundy wine with tomatoes, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and a bouquet garni, finished with sauteed mushrooms. A rich Southern wild game stew served over wild rice.

Bodacious Chili

Beef is simmered with all these delicious vegetables, flavorful spices and wine. There are lots of flavors and textures in this delicious chili. A cozy recipe that helps to warm up your body

Campbell's Spanish Chicken & Mushrooms

Spanish-style skillet chicken with mushrooms, stuffed olives, tomato soup, and a splash of Burgundy wine over egg noodles. A savory one-pan dinner in 40 minutes.

All 36 recipes