Same - we’ve rarely been disappointed in the way a past “prime” red in the fridge affected a dish. There are wine-heavy dishes where we reach for a fresh young bottle, but for general use, its not an issue.
Generally no, but I do prefer an Italian wine for an Italian dish. I find a decent Côtes du Rhône is a good catch all for lots of dishes
the only time I can think of that I stick to a very specific wine is vin jaune with chicken & morels.
And always use Riesling in choucroute garni (and as others note, Marsala and Maderia dishes pretty much need to adhere to recipe)
I used to do manzo/brasato al Barolo with the real thing , then as it got pricey switched to Langhe Nebbiolo, now I just look for any full bodied red (made Sunday with open bottles of CA Cab and Rosso di Montalcino, thought it was fine).
And if you ever have Coq au Chambertin at my house do not look around for an empty bottle of Trapet. 
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As the late great WC Fields said:
I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.
I used some once to braise some shaved fennel that I served under broiled salmon. I had grabbed the open bottle from my dad’s refrigerator door and hadn’t noticed that it was sweet, but it turned out to be perfect for the dish.
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Yes! Braised fennel dishes I make often have orange liqueur in them and I’ll have to try sweet Riesling there too.
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Great idea, will have to try. I’ve had salmon with shaved fennel and orange slices on the todo list, but without wine. The Riesling sounds like a great addition.
Natty, high VA wines are best for cooking, in my opinion. I have about 4 pallets of an unreleased bottled 2019 vintage that will last me a lifetime… 
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I don’t overthink it:
White (Chards mostly at our house) my go-to for deglazing / pan sauce, especially fish.
Red for most braises, mostly Pinot because that’s what we have and I like Coq au Vin, lamb stew and whatnot. Some gifted bottles go that way too or for beef bourguignon.
I have overdone it with acidic wines in braises- that’s about the only thing I’m careful not to overdo. Usually wine:chicken stock 50:50 is my braise ratio
Sometimes a gifted but unloved bourbon works for a nice deglaze. Nothing fancy.
I used to use the whatever wine was around for cooking until one time I grabbed a Sauvignon Blanc instead of Chardonnay for a white wine turkey gravy recipe. It did not turn out well. I started being a bit more specific in what I grab and trying to make sure the dominant flavors of the wine are something I want in the finished food. E.g. if I’m making risotto I try to make sure the Chardonnay I use was aged in oak rather than a Chablis because I’ve found that the end product is mellow and doesn’t have as much of a citric back end.
When I’m making stew or braising liquid I typically go with a southern rhone because I like the way the pepper notes and fruit blend with the taste. I just haven’t found where a light bodied pinot adds much in the same scenario.
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I’m sure it’s sacrilegious to the rule followers but sometimes I use sake when making pasta, especially for a lighter seafood/vegetable sauce. Not saying it’s the only way to go but works well if you’re trying to have clean flavors and still get some body. I’ve had a Italian person look at me in horror when I told them this!
Sake lacks acid, in general, but it can be very useful, especially when you include acidity from elsewhere.
Agree, citrus zest/juice depending on when you add it makes a big difference. Also helps if you want a certain type vinegar to show through but will still help with the body of the sauce.
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