On 3/12/10 3:51 PM, DaleW wrote:
> 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+

Thanks for the interesting notes, Dale. I wonder whether that Kalin
Semillon is atypical or not. The biggest fan of that wine I know of is
Joe Perry, who is also nuts for Sherry and very oxidative Spanish
whites, so draw what conclusions you wish from that. I'll keep in mind
your recommendation of the Lafarge Aligoté, as I have pretty much
written off the grape as not interesting enough to warrant further
attention ("charmless" is what I actually had to say about my last one).

Mark Lipton


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