Editing Wine (section)

=== Culinary uses ===
{{Further|Wine and food pairing}}

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|savoury]] 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=[[Robert Parker (wine critic)|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|Robinson, Jancis]] |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.