We've all been there, you open a bottle of wine and suddenly you're left with two options: either finish the bottle for the sake of it or keeping it "for tomorrow", a.k.a forgetting about it and ultimately pouring it down the sink. But wine is surprisingly versatile and can be used for many things. The experts at Cult Wines have shared with us their 5 top tips for using leftover wine, so you don't feel like you have to finish it there and then – nor do you have to resign yourself to empty it down the drain.
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1. Put wine in ice cubes to cook with at a later date
Pour leftovers into an ice cube tray and once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container – they'll be ready to go whenever needed. Add them to white wine for quick cooling without the dilution of regular ice, or save them for recipes that call for small volumes of wine.
2. Make white wine vinegar
A great addition to the condiment cupboard of budding chefs and gastro fans, Williams Sonoma has a great recipe that will take an afternoon to prepare and will yield delicious results in about three months.
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3. Make wine syrup
Who knew that you could make a sweet and tasty syrup from wine? You can even make it with individual flavorings, such as vanilla bean or fresh ginger. Cult Wines recommend using Kitchen's easy three-step recipe that takes less than half an hour to make.
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4. Transform wine into grease remover
Stacey Solomon would love this! If you've got a bottle of leftover white that's passed the point of consumption in any shape or form, it can still be put to use as a grease stain remover. Stir up a mixture of white wine and baking soda and apply to grubby patches on your garage floor, outdoor pathways, or patio. Let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe away.
5. Use wine in the garden
Turns out, pouring red wine into your compost bin activates the good bacteria already present in the mixture, helping your plants and garden to grow. Just be sure to keep your compost bin's moisture under control once you add the wine.
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