We often recommend choosing your wine before you start cooking Italian food. This is because it allows you to add a splash of your chosen wine into any sauces to enhance the compatibility of the flavors. However, some wines are better for cooking than others. Red wines like Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon typically cook nicely. However, you can also cook with fortified wines, which are best for enhancing complex flavors. These include Sherry, Madeira, Port, and Marsala.