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Good chefs know how to choose good quality, cost effective wines for cooking. Here is a list of frequently called-for wines for cooking:

Dry White Wine
Look for simple, fruity table wines like Chardonnay. Avoid sharp, acidic wines, excessively woody wines, and sweet wines.

Dry Red Wine
Again, fruity and simple table wines are the way to go. Pinot Noir and Zinfandel are good choices. Pinot Noir is almost always low in tannin.

Sherry
True Spanish sherry adds considerable character when called for in a recipe. Avoid very dry fino Sherry and sweet cream Sherry.

Port
Ruby port, the least expensive type of Port, is probably the best for cooking. It is fruity and sweet, and will retain its color better than the more expensive Port types. Port is powerful stuff and should be used in modest amounts in dishes.

Madeira
There are no substitutes when a recipes calls for Madeira. Madeira is a key component of France’s rich Sauce Périgourdine: a sinful concoction of foie gras, truffles, and demiglace. Madeira sauces have a particular affinity for beef, games, and mushroom dishes.

Marsala
This Sicilian fortified wine is a staple in southern Italian cooking. The label on a Marsala bottle will indicate whether it is dry or sweet. For cooking, the sweet style, with its richer flavor, is the better choice.

Vermouth
Always use white vermouth when cooking. The intense complex flavor of vermouth enhances many light seafood dishes.

Brandy
Cognac offers reliable and intense flavors to a dish and because “nip” sized bottles of brandy are readily available, this ingredient will not cost you a fortune.

Sparkling Wine
When you cook any sparkling wine, you will eliminate its primary qualities – bubbles and alcohol. Champagne as an ingredient is useful for its cachet value only. However, a simple French recipe sauce can benefit from the two remaining qualities of good Champagne – high acidity and yeast flavor.