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.