1. Clean Fruit

The alcohol and resveratrol, a phytochemical in red wine, can kill off bacteria that cause food-borne illness such as salmonella and E. coli. Just run a little wine over your fruit after rinsing it off with water, dry it off and enjoy!

2. Trap Pesky Flies 

Flies are attracted to rotting things, and since wine is fermented, the flies smell it and are automatically attracted to it. Simply pour red wine in a small bowl or glass and place it in the problem area, such as near a kitchen window.

3. Soak in an Anti-Aging Bath

It’s believed that the powerful antioxidants in the fermented grapes may firm and increase your skin’s elasticity. Pour one glass of wine straight into your bath one to two times a week and soak for 30 minutes to get the anti-aging and skin-smoothing benefits you desire.

4. Give yourself an at-Home Facial

Apply red wine to your skin for a DIY facial mask to get the same skin-firming results as with the bath.

5. Substitute in Your Cooking

Swapping red wine for heavy sauces or oil is a healthy, lighter alternative. A half a cup of oil has 950 calories, but the same amount of red wine only has 98 calories–saving you more than 850 calories!

6. Liven Up Your Garden

Pour leftover red wine into a compost bin to activate the bacteria that’ll turn the compost into fertilizer for your garden.

7. Double Down on Stains

If you spill red wine, its white brethren can come to your rescue. White wine will absorb the color from red’s stain. Just let it soak for a moment and then dab both liquids up.

8. Make a Better Bisque

White wine adds a depth of flavor to this beefy bisque, which feels extra filling thanks to the nutty barley. Get the recipe here. 

9. Reduce the Risk of Osteoporosis

Resveratrol, the natural compound in wine, might better your bones. A recent study cited the phytochemical as a potential treatment for osteoporosis, by helping stimulate bone-forming cells within the body.

10. Steam Mussels

Mussels might seem intimidating to cook, but the delightful mollusks are as easy to whip up as pouring a glass of wine. Simply steam the shells in your preferred vino with a mix of herbs.

11. Fertilize Your Garden

Let your plants have a little something to drink. The added acids and enzymes act as a liquid fertilizer—just don’t overdo it. Keep them on a regular water cycle.

12. Make a Wine Smoothie

Blend red wine with frozen fruit for a smoothie that’s a little more hedonistic than healthy. Want a creamier treat? Add almond milk or even chocolate to make a more decadent dessert.

13. Mix a Spritzer

If you’ve opened a bottle of wine that’s too sweet for your tastes, try cutting it to create a spritzer. Blend the offending libation with seltzer or an unflavored carbonated soda to make something lighter and more palatable beverage.

14. Conserve and Mull Later

Here’s something to mull over—you can save to create a perfect punch later. As you have small amounts of wine left, pour them into a container stashed in the freezer (the various varieties will freeze in different hues). Once you’ve got enough, drop your frozen wine into a pot with traditional mulling spices and serve once your mixture is melted and warm.

15. Dress It Up

Combine a teaspoon of leftover red or white with a corresponding wine vinegar, a tablespoon of minced shallot, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste to create a delicious DIY dressing.

16. Paint With Pinot

Reduced wine works wonderful as a “watercolor.” Heat wine on the stove for 10-12 minutes to reduce, cool, and then paint to your heart’s content. One important note: you’ll need to seal your painting with a matte spray to prevent dust from sticking to the surface.

17. Make a Spanish Style Cocktail

Have a Basque-style beverage with ingredients you surely have around the house. Popular in Spain, the kalimotxo pairs equal parts red wine and a cola-based soft drink. Feeling fancy? Garnish with a twist of lime or a dash of blackberry liqueur.

18. Poach Eggs

Swap wine for water the next time you poach eggs. Mix two parts red wine to one part broth (chicken, beef, or veggie) and poach to your usual taste. After the eggs are cooked, remove. Reduce your liquid into a sauce, flavoring as you please. Once your sauce is ready serve for a new spin on over easy.

19. Turn Wine Into a Granita

Frozen wine makes for a sophisticated snack in the summer. Mix a bottle of wine with a mixture of simple syrup (⅓ cup water to 1 cup water) and pour into a large baking dish. Pop the baking dish into the freezer, and check in every half hour to stir and agitate your frozen mixture. Once you’ve achieved a crumbly frozen texture, serve.

20. Cook a Stew

A hearty stock gets even heartier with the addition of a full-bodied wine. Add wine to your standby stew recipe to make something even more flavorful favorite.

21. Limit Lime Scale

A glass shower door looks good as new when treated with a little white wine. Apply to stubborn lime scale spots and soon you’ll be seeing things much more clearly.

22. Load Up on Lentils

Who knew Robin Quivers had the secret to succulent lentils? Her recipe for this French-style soup uses red wine and sherry vinegar to create this warm and toasty wonder. 

23. Make Wine Ice Cubes

Here’s a clever way to cool down your sangria or cocktail—freeze wine in ice cube trays. Serve your next glass of vino with your cubes to keep your beverage cold, and not watered down.

24. Freshen Your Feet

Treat your tootsies to something soothing, like a wine footbath. The polyphenols that come from the skin and seeds of red wine grapes can be beneficial to your skin.

25. Clean Your Counters

Don’t waste the wine you served with dinner. Use leftover white wine to clean kitchen counters. The alcohol could help remove stubborn stains (and kill some germs along the way). Just avoid scrubbing (or spilling) wine on porous countertops like granite.

26. Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Vino’s antioxidant properties increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and protect against artery damage—reducing the risk of heart disease.

27. Punch Up Potato Salad

Swap white wine for wine vinegar in this potato salad to create a punchier dressing that will spice up everyone’s favorite side dish. 

28. Fancy Up Fruit

Take a pear away from plain and into perfection. Poach pears—or any fruit—in red wine and sugar, cinnamon, for a fancy and flavorful dessert.

29. Create a Temporary Dye Job

Between salon appointments? A burgundy wine brings you a rich red hue or adds body to brunettes and darker-haired ladies. To create a temporary color, mix wine with cocoa powder until it achieves a paste. Using care (it will stain skin), apply and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse well and shampoo and condition as normal.

30. Fight Blood Clots

The resveratrol in wine could help in preventing blood vessel damage. Research is ongoing, but resveratrol has been shown to reduced the risk of inflammation and blood clotting, in the short term.

31. Soup Up Soup

Adding wine to any soup recipe can add a more complex (and complimentary) flavor. White or sparkling wines can add another dimension to creamy or clear broth soups, while red wines can add a powerful punch to tomato or beef-based broths. Just add in small doses and be sure to let your libations reduce as you cook.

32. Make Marinara Sauce

Meatballs meet their match with this sauce that features a cup of red wine for added complexity. Open a bottle and use part to make dinner and the rest to partake in with your husband. 

33. Remove a Grease Stain

White wine could be just the solution to your grease and oil stains. Pour leftover vino on to your stubborn garage floor or driveway stains. The alcohol and acidity will absorb the tough spots.

34. Use as a Skin Toner

For clear, smooth, and soft skin swap spirits for your standard toner. Soak cotton balls in red wine or decant wine into a mini spray bottle and spritz onto your skin. Massage the vintage in with your fingertips to rejuvenate your skin.

35. Make Chicken Marsala

This rich dish is a crowd-pleaser—but can be a little more decadent than diet. Try our recipe, which uses Marsala wine, and will only cost you 150 calories per serving. 

36. Marinade Meat

Let your proteins soak up some of the delicious effects of wine. Marinate chicken, fish, steak or pork overnight in a blend of wine, olive oil and spices to impart flavor and start the tenderizing process.

37. Slow Cook Chicken

Chefs know the secret to fall-off-the-bone chicken is an aromatic braise. Sear meat in a pot and after deglazing, fill with a mixture of water and wine (don’t submerge the chicken). Let it simmer until the liquid has reduced and your protein is perfectly tender. Then enjoy.

38. Dye Fabric

Shade shoes or fabric with leftover libations. Simply soak fabric or shoes in wine, or paint on as you would fabric dye for a beautiful burgundy.

39. Caramelize Onions

Caramelized onions are a perfect topping for anything from soup to salads sandwiches to pasta. By adding wine to the usual ingredients, you’ll up the ante on this already delicious topping.

40. Combat Oily Skin

The acids in red wine (combined with the anti-inflammatory antioxidants) can minimize oily skinny. Combine burgundy wine with Geek yogurt and tea tree oil to create a facemask. Apply to 20 minutes and then rinse for drier, smoother skin.

41. DIY Wine Soap

The natural sugars and wine make for luxurious lather. Make your own cold process soaps at home using your favorite vintage.

42. Fluff Up Your Eggs

A touch of red or white wine added to your scrambled egg mixture can elevate the average breakfast by adding a touch more texture.

43. Sweeten Syrups

Flat syrup goes to the next level with the addition of some wine. Blend with your boring bottle for a perfect topping for pancakes or for fancier French toast.

44. Steam Clams

White wine makes best broth for steamed clams. Bring several cups of white wine to a boil (with aromatics if you so choose) and then steam until the shells open (about five minutes). Discard any shellfish that don’t open, and then dig in.

45. Blend Your Own Red Wine Vinaigrette

Leftover wine becomes the perfect dressing (and cooking tool). Combine one-part red wine to three parts white vinegar to craft your own elixir.

46. Don’t Skimp on Scampi

By using white wine and low-sodium chicken broth in place of butter, this Italian favorite from chef Mike Isabella cuts the calories in half. Shrimp is a lean source of protein, so you can enjoy this healthy dinner without worrying about your cholesterol. Mangia!  

47. Lower Your Risk of a Stroke

According to some studies, women who consume a moderate amount of alcohol could be at a lower risk of stroke. Just keep your intake to one glass per day.

48. Make Wine Jelly

Wine can serve as a perfect base for jam or jelly. Mix water with pectin and fruit to craft your own jam, then jar and present to hosts instead of the more standard bottle of vintage.

49. Au Natural Easter Eggs

Hatch a chemical-free Easter celebration. Dip hardboiled eggs into leftover wine—just dilute in separate containers for slightly different shades.

50. Wash Vegetables

Mist produce with a mixture of wine and water for an additional level of cleanliness. The alcohol will remove more impurities and could potentially kill more serious bacteria like E. coli and salmonella.

51. Make Wine Syrup

Craft a balsamic like concoction that works perfectly as a topping for pancakes or waffles, veggies, or even yogurt. Combine three parts wine to one part sugar and reduce until your sauce reaches the optimal syrupy consistency.

52. Cook Wine Gummies

Forget bears. These delicious treats are for adults only. Combine wine, gelatin, and maple syrup to create a snack that pairs perfectly with more wine.

53. Spruce Up Salsa

Add an extra punch to your favorite salsa. Simmer salsa ingredients in white wine before blending into a spicy topping or side.

54. Flavor a Casserole

This veal and bean casserole is easy-to-make and hearty, much thanks to the white wine that adds a touch of tang. Get the recipe here.

55. Perfect the Popsicle

The double dose of antioxidants from your favorite variety of fruit and your favorite varietal makes the ideal summer day treat Mix wine and berries with simple syrup and freeze for later.

56. As a Better Blush

Achieve a rosy glow from rose. Apply a few drops of red wine on your cheeks for a natural blush that doesn’t come from drinking too much red wine.

57. Season a Stir-Fry

Vary up the usual side dish with this recipe for stir-fry that will have everyone asking for to pass the veggies. 

58. Spice Up Shrimp

This heart-healthy recipe uses Greek flavors and so-good-for-you seafood to create a light and fresh meal perfect for summertime al-fresco dining. 

59. Clean Windows

White wine vinegar isn’t the only solution to dirty windows. A corked or leftover amount of Blanc vino can be used to wipe up windows to give them a more sensational shine.

60. Have Heavenly Halibut

Fish and chips is usually served with a heavy pour of ale, but celebrity chef Mike Isabella’s recipe trades the greasy bar food for lighter fare—and swaps beer-battered fish for white-wine mixed (and microwaved!) halibut. 

61. Freshen Up French Toast

Switch out half of your milk for red wine when you are making French toast to give the dish a Brazilian twist.

62. Flavor Sparkling Water

Just a splash of red or white wine adds a kick to a mostly mocktail. A slight splash is perfect for when you just want bit of balance to your beverage.

63. Help Your Hair

For silky and shiny hair, work wine into your usual cleansing routine. In place of a hair mask, give your hair a final rinse in red wine. Shampoo and condition your hair as usual and use red wine as a final rinse. Antioxidants in wine like bioflavonoids aide in keratin growth and can protect against keratin degradation.

64. Infuse Gelato

Fuse two of your favorite things into one delicious treat. Mix wine as the flavoring of your favorite gelato recipe for a dessert that will have everyone screaming for ice cream.

65. Clean Glass

Once you’ve drunk from your wine glasses, use your beverage to clean them. White wine does wonders for cleaning spots out of glasses (just rinse with water and regular soap to treat for the non-visual cleaning needs).

66. Use Wine Instead of Water for Pasta

Impress your foodie friends with this adventurous dinner. This recipe from the stars of The Chew tints pasta to a perfect shade and tastes amazing.  

67. Suds Up With a Wine Body Scrub

Some believe red wine improves blood circulation, and when mixed with a gentle exfoliant (like sugar) and honey (to moisturize and soothe), you’ll have the prescription for perfect skin.

68. Preserve Peak Fruits

Thanks to its alcohol and acidity wine makes an ideal preserving agent. Soak fresh, cleaned berries or other fruit in a jar with wine to preserve fruits in their prime.

69. Braise Cabbage

Red wine and red cabbages are destined for each other — making a stunning (and money-saving side). Follow our recipe for this sensational side.

70. Minimize Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Enjoy your wine worry (and wrinkle)-free. Polyphenols protect the skin from UV light and keep it elastic. It also strengthens the cross-linking of collagen, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

71. Make Wine Cake

This semi-homemade swap adds a sophisticated punch to store-bought mixes. Swap wine for water when making a yellow or vanilla boxed cake for a moister and more memorable indulgence.

72. Put Wine Into a Pot Pie

Find comfort in this lighter version of the soul food classic that uses a “drop” biscuit dough, giving you the flaky flavor of a traditional piecrust without the fat and calories of butter! The filling goes beyond just how mom made it with the addition of white wine. 

73. Steam Salmon

Wolfgang Puck’s Asian-Style Steamed Salmon With Baby Bok Choy and Brown Rice offers an international spin on the classic healthy fish, and feels much richer than it’ll cost you calorie-wise, thanks to the addition of dry white wine. 

74. Raise the Bar With Risotto

This creamy and comforting, classic buttery dish by Dr. Alejandro Junger, of course predominantly features white wine. But thanks to wholesome ingredients, you'll savor every bite—while still getting lots of nutritious ingredients. 

75. Sip to Get Some Sleep

A moderate amount of wine before bedtime can help you get to sleep more soundly. Wine contains a high concentration of melatonin, which can help you wind down more quickly.

76. Dazzle With a Deglaze

This chef hack makes the most of the pan drippings you usually spend time cleaning. After cooking meat, pour cold wine into the still hot pan. As the near boiling water heats the brown bits, scrape the “frond” from the bottom of the pan and heat until it incorporates into the liquid. You’re left with the beginnings of a perfect pan sauce for your protein.

77. Improve Your Cognitive Memory

Studies have shown that the phenolic antioxidant compounds in red wine might impede the pathological progress of Alzheimer’s disease, Research found that subjects you regularly drank moderate quantities of red wine outpaced those that didn’t on every test of cognitive performance.

78. Make Quality Quinoa

For the best grains, cook quinoa in a mixture of white wine, chicken broth and a touch of Worcestershire sauce to create a substantial and savory side dish that you can mix with anything from veggies to stews.

79. Snap Up Snapper

Iron Cat Cora’s Red Snapper with Pepitas, Capers, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil features cooks the delicate fish in white wine and adds a fat-fighting secret ingredient: pumpkin seeds! They’re rich in monounsaturated fats, iron and magnesium. 

80. Add Another Level to Asparagus

white wine sauce makes everyone’s favorite spring vegetable sing. 

81. As a Mild Disinfectant

The alcohol in wine can serve some minor disinfectant purposes. Mix the last drips of wine from dinner with water to wipe your kitchen counters for an extra layer of clean.

82. Go for a Glaze

This Salmon With Raspberry-Balsamic Glaze blends the sweetness of wine with raspberries and orange juice for a bright and balanced meal that will please even the pickiest eaters. 

83. Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Research has shown the moderate amounts of red wine in men could actually decrease men’s risk for Type 2 diabetes, or at the very least not increase it. If consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, vino should have no effect on developing diabetes.

84. Better Bolognese

The hearty “Sunday gravy” is a classic staple of an Italian diet. Actor Stanley Tucci’s red-wine based Bolognese is improved if you can make a day in advance so flavors can spend even more time developing. 

85. Make a Healthy Superfat Meal

Chef Franklin Becker’s fish dinner includes five superfats to make you slim—and a hearty, heart-helping portion of white wine. Olives contain oleic acid, which helps build lean muscle mass. Canola oil has the lowest saturated fat content of any oil. Avocados are full of fiber to keep you full. Pistachios help burn fat. Finally, salmon contains omega-3s to help battle belly fat. Not only does this dish contain all these five powerful foods to melt fat away, it’s less than 500 calories! 

86. Soften Standard Chocolate Cake

Looking for a velvety version of the standard chocolate cake? Try a recipe that blends pudding mix and red wine to create a creamier cake.

87. Make Simple Spaghetti

Spiced with dried chilies and anchovies this twist on the mundane meatballs will have folks begging for seconds. In heated oil, cook garlic, anchovy filets, and dried chili peppers, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add al dente spaghetti and then pour in red wine, cooking until the wine has reduced and the pasta is fully cooked. Then serve and enjoy this bold burgundy bowl.

88. Lower Your Bad Cholesterol

Red wine may prevent heart disease by increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" kind) and protecting against artery damage. Just be sure to drink in moderation, which is defined as a one to two glasses (12 ounces) of wine per day.

89. Help the Healing Process

The flavonoids in wine can soothe inflamed tissues, so if you’re especially banged up, try applying wine to bad bruises for additional aide.

90. Let It Turn Into Vinegar

Of all the things on this list, this might be the easiest. If you leave opened wine on it’s own for a few weeks the vino will turn into vinegar.

91. Flavor Salt

A reduction of a tannin-heavy vintage makes mineral sea salt even more magnificent. Once you’ve reduced wine down, blend with sea salt and spices in a food processor for an ideal topping for brines, big salads, or even berries.

92. Kick-Start Weight-Loss

Studies have shown that white wine can help the weight loss process. In Germany, patients whose diet consisted of 10% of energy derived from white wine were just as effective in assisting weight loss as those drinking the same amounts of juice. Pick your beverages wisely. 

93. Make a Spicy Wine Cocktail

Tone down sticky sweet wines with the bitter taste of the Italian aperitif Campari for a sophisticated spin on the wine cocktail that isn’t sangria.

94. Try a Terrine

When mixed with gelatin, wine can achieve the wiggly heights you only thought gelatin could. Float in fruits and you’ve got a new twist on the childhood favorite.

95. Fight Acne

Wine’s AHAs and antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties could be the next thing to breakout of your cycle of breakouts. Applying red wine on the face to fight acne and clears the pores to treat oily and congested skin.

96. Serve Some Sorbet

A fruity style like merlot or zinfandel builds the perfect base to a wine sorbet. Just mix with your favorite fruits, vanilla bean, sugar, and lemon juice in a blender and then freeze overnight.

97. Make Sangria

The best way to make wine better is to add more nutritious and delicious fruits. Mix wine with fruits and let sit overnight to create the perfect sangria—in a red or a white variety. The longer you let fruits and the wine “marinate” the better your batch will be.

98. Sear Scallops

This decadent dinner recipe by Chef Ada gets added richness from the oyster mushrooms and savory chard. 

99. Stop Dandruff

Since wine increases circulation, some have found that consuming small amounts can help in the stimulate circulation to scalp and strengthens the blood vessels to reduce flakiness, dandruff and itchiness.