"Pray don't mention such a thing," said the count. Baptistin
re-entered with glasses, wine, and biscuits. The count
filled one glass, but in the other he only poured a few
drops of the ruby-colored liquid. The bottle was covered
with spiders' webs, and all the other signs which indicate
the age of wine more truly than do wrinkles on a man's face.
The major made a wise choice; he took the full glass and a
biscuit. The count told Baptistin to leave the plate within
reach of his guest, who began by sipping the Alicante with
an expression of great satisfaction, and then delicately
steeped his biscuit in the wine.

steep2 7stcp8
vt.
5ME stepen, akin to ON steypa, to overturn, cast (metals), plunge into: for prob. IE base see prec.6
1 to soak in liquid, so as to soften, clean, extract the essence of, etc.
2 to immerse, saturate, absorb, or imbue !steeped in folklore"
vi.
to be steeped, as tea leaves
n.
1 a steeping or being steeped
2 liquid in which something is steeped
—SYN SOAK
steep 2
vt.
5ME stepen, akin to ON steypa, to overturn, cast (metals), plunge into: for prob. IE base see prec.6
1 to soak in liquid, so as to soften, clean, extract the essence of, etc.
2 to immerse, saturate, absorb, or imbue !steeped in folklore"
vi.
to be steeped, as tea leaves
n.
1 a steeping or being steeped
2 liquid in which something is steeped
—SYN SOAK

Much more elegant than "dunk", don't you agree?