Savor the Flavors of "Silky" Wines
by Jill Stacey
What kind of wine do you like? Crisp, Silky, Rich, Bubbly, Fruity, Mellow, Bold or Nectar? Don't know where to start?
Our wine taster, Jill Stacey is teaching us about each of these categories. You're bound to be an expert after this. It's wine made easy.
 At WineStyles we like to take the guesswork out of wine purchases. So we categorize our wines by “Style” categories and then add simple adjectives to explain what the wine tastes like to help customers understand exactly what they are purchasing.
Silky is our medium bodied white wine category. This type of wine is best described as wine with flavors of melon, apples, ripe pears, vanilla, slightly toasted oak, and sometimes honey. These are not “dry” or “sweet” wines. They are nice soft wines with a little more heavy on the palate than the Crisp acidic wines. “Heavy on the palate” means that when you take a sip you will taste more flavors on your tongue and your cheeks will also get a little more involved in the flavors. Crisp/Light bodied wines will give you a “light mouth” feel and you taste only with parts of your tongue.
It also helps that if you find your style is “Silky” and you only tried a Chardonnay, then more than likely you would like the other wines found in the silky section. So you could try a Silky Dry Riesling from Oregon, or a Vouvray from France… all choices within your taste “style”!
Some recommended wines from the Silky Style are:
Evan’s & Tate Chardonnay ~ Margaret River Australia ~ $21.99
92 pts with the Wine Spectator and made the top 100 wines on their 2005 list. This wine boasts ripe flavors of pear, quince and citrus. It has subtle spice characters that remain refreshing and appealing through a crisp yet soft finish. It goes well with soft cheeses like brie or havarti, fish, chicken and is perfect with any white sauced Italian food!
 Marc Bredif Vouvray ~ Loire Valley, France ~ $19.99
The grape is called Chenin Blanc in the USA, but in the Touraine appellation of France the wine is 100% Chenin Blanc and is called very intense with a fruity bouquet (smell) with notes of white flowers and quince with creamy apple-pear flavors with a slight acidic finish. This wine also pairs well with light soft cheeses, salads with chicken and creamy dressing, fish, pasta, and creamy soups.
Teruzzi & Puthod Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy ~ $16.99
The historic white wine of the Tuscan valley, made from the vernaccia grape grown on the slopes surrounding the storybook medieval hill town of San Gimignano. This wine has a bouquet (smell) of floral and fruit with a medium-bodied palate. It’s fresh and minerally, with notes of honey and pears on the palate, elegant, with a crisp finish. Best with any kind of Italian food including fish and chicken. It really pairs well with garlic flavored food and Italian cheeses also do excellent. Or just sip it by itself.
 Von Buhl Medium Dry Jazz Riesling ~ Pfalz, Germany ~ $15.99
Not to be confused with the Kabinett or Spatlese Sweet Rieslings. This Riesling is Medium Dry with more body and more flavor. A little minerality thinly covers a core of earth and ripe fleshy fruits. You don’t just sip this wine - it compels you to drink it! Perfect with artichoke sauces, fish, chicken, or pasta.
Now here's a recipe for an Artichoke Chicken Spread that pairs well with this wine. It comes from Robert Rothschild Farms at www.robertrothchild.com or you can find these sauces, dips and spices at most WineStyles Stores.
Artichoke Chicken Spread Recipe
12 oz. Chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, cooked & cubed
14 oz. Artichokes, drained
1/2 cup Green onion, minced
3 tsp. Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1 cup Sour cream
1/2 cup Robert Rothschild Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip
2 tsp. Fresh chili paste
1/4 tsp. Paprika
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place cubes in work bowl of food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground. Add artichokes, pulse until chopped. Scoop into mixing bowl. Add green onion, garlic, parmesan cheese, jack cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, pretzel dip, and chili paste. Mix well. Add to chicken mixture and mix well. Spray a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 25 minutes until heated through. Serve with toasted baguette slices.
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