So last night Betsy made salmon steamed with chard and onions, along
with brown rice. Unlike grilled salmon, I don't think PN works with
this, so decided to go white. Here's an opportunity for a
idiosyncratic wine.

1997 Kalin Cellar Semillon (Livermore Valley)
This is actually the current release I believe, and I wasn't concerned
by the deep gold color. However, the cork was a sponge meets sawdust
mess, and once wine hit air it darkened even further. Nuts meets
sherry oxidative notes, apple pie, citrus rind, lemon pledge.
Interesting but not fun, and I'll assume a substandard cork. C+, but
hopefully not a representative bottle.

2007 Michel Lafarge “Raisins d’Orees” Bourgogne Aligote
As the Kalin was more interesting than good, I decided to go to the
backup. Now this is a lovely bottle of Aligote- sweet pear and apple
fruit with a squirt of lemon, wet stones on the finish, very good
length for its level. I don't drink much Aligote, but this is
generally my favorite, and this vintage is quite good. Nicely
balanced, holds one's interest. B+

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an
excellent*wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I
wouldn't*drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I
offer no*promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of
consistency.**