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When I have made white wine sauce at home, I have been unable to replicate the classic 'round' taste, with the 'long' aftertaste. The taste I'm looking for is typical for restaurants serving it with white fish, like cod.

I have a theory that this particular quality has something to do with the preparation of butter, e.g. caramelization.

How do I make restaurant-quality white wine sauce?

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    Hm. It is a bit difficult to say when we don't know what you did so far. Perhaps you could post a "doesn't quite work" recipe or at least describe your process? Welcome to Seasoned Avice!
    – Stephie ♦
    Dec 1, 2015 at 9:52
  • I agree with @Stephie on this, it's hard to get an understanding of what flavor and texture you want as a result
    – GdD
    Dec 1, 2015 at 11:45
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    Agree that it's pretty hard to figure out what you're asking here. That said, my guess is that it's a combination of heavily reduced real stock, good quality wine and unconscionable amounts of butter. ;)
    – Stefano
    Dec 1, 2015 at 15:08
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    Do not use an oaked wine; oaky white wine (especially heavy Chardonnay) gets bitter when reduced.
    – John Feltz
    Dec 16, 2016 at 14:53

3 Answers 3

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What kind of sauce are you making ? a simple "beurre blanc" ? a gravy (with a roux) or a cream sauce ?

Can you describe the recipe you are using (ingredients, technique) ?

What I do (for beurre blanc):

Cook down the schallots slowly in wine; add a little bit of water and white vinegar, it should not be dry. Use cold unsalted butter cut in small chunks Mix in the butter with a whisk until the butter is well integrated. Pass the mix through (sp) a fine mesh to remove the schallots. Adjust seasonings. ...

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A good way to make a white wine sauce is to start by making a roux of butter and flour, and letting it turn beige. Then add just enough white wine to get the consistency you are looking to achieve.

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The solution is:

Your question is equivalent to asking "how do I make roux incredibly well"?

White wine sauce is just roux, and you throw in some white wine.

It is very, very difficult to make roux. I suggest starting with some of the classic texts on the issue.

Apart from anything else, it's impossible unless you have the finest possible ingredients (the copper pot, the flour, the butter)...

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    I must disagree - roux is such a basic technique that good instructions are easy to find. And the copper pot is optional.
    – Stephie ♦
    Dec 1, 2015 at 18:03
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    Making roux is incredibly easy, melt butter, let clarify, start tapping in flour stir, tap in some more flour, stir until you get the consistency you want. Then let it brown (not burn) slowly and then start adding the wine when it's the color you want until you get the saucy consistency you want. It's really no harder than that.
    – Escoce
    Dec 1, 2015 at 18:30
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    not all white wine sauce is a roux based sauce.
    – Max
    Dec 1, 2015 at 18:38
  • hi Max - true, not ALL wine sauce is roux-based.
    – Fattie
    Dec 1, 2015 at 19:04
  • hi Escoce - and Stephie - the idea that "roux is easy to make" is much like saying "it's easy to Draw!" ("just like daVinci!!!") or "Anyone can grill a steak" (in reality, it takes, oh, 500 .. 1000? .. attempts to be good at "grilling a steak" That's if you have a natural talent and it comes easy to you.). Your suggestions are equivalent to saying "Why, all that daVinci used was .. a pencil and paper! easy!" I've had one, maybe two, good roux in my life, after trying the roux of many of the most famous living chefs. (Not that fame means anything.) And I've tried dozens, maybe 100+, roux.
    – Fattie
    Dec 1, 2015 at 19:08

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