I don't drink, so all wine tastes the same to me. However, I do cook with it. IF a cake recipe calls for sherry or brandy, which of the following would be the closest to it. Cabernet sauvegon, burgundy, chadonnay, marsala, maderia. I have all these but not sherry or brandy.

At a pinch you can use marsala or maderia in place of sherry, but NONE of these options are a replacement for brandy, as it's a spirit.

Plus why open a full bottle of wine when you can use the small amount of brandy or sherry and not worry about the rest of the bottle going bad?

If you need just a small amount of Brandy or other liquors, go to liquor store and ask for the little tiny sampler bottles that they sell. Usually only a couple of ounces. Most popular brands make these shooters just so you'll try their product. Beats having to buy a bottle of something that you won't drink. If you think you will use Sherry again, it is relatively inexpensive and keeps forever. Great for cooking and not at all potent. Some stores sell only "cooking sherry", which has no alcohol content but really doesn't give you the flavor of real sherry. Be sure to know if you want dry or sweet as there is a difference in flavor, and never use more than the recipe calls for because it can overpower a dish. Ciao. Dave.