What would Joe Perry do?

So there I was at a fine restaurant known for their wine selection and service, but with a marked California emphasis and with breathtaking markups, neither attribute at all in my wheelhouse. Glenna ordered a hamachi tartare/avocado 1st course and mine was soft shell crab. Our friend a salad. Mains were Glenna's pan-sauteed scallops, seared tuna for me, and our friend filet mignon with a Gorgonzola sauce. She wanted white with the filet, which made it easier, but gives some idea of the overall challenge.

There were many pages of California Chardonnay. No Brun Beaujolais blanc. A too-young Huet sec costing more than our meals (in total). I considered a Rebholz "Dry" but was afraid it was wrong for the crowd. Etc.

But then...
I heard him. Joe's voice, like an angel, directing me to the 1996 Kalin Semillon. Joe, who never met a Kalin he didn't like. And I knew he was right...that it was right.

And it was. The richness and gravitas of a Sauternes (duh), but dry. The weight and flavors were perfect for the crab and the seared tuna, the richness cuddled with the avocado, and even the filet mignon matched well (Sauternes and Gorgonzola---why not?). The wine made me a hero with my dining partners and, more important, I enjoyed it.
Somewhere Joe was smiling.

One small quibble; the oak was a little tiring when I was forced to finish the bottle after the food was gone.
But I don't think Kalin releases their wines 12 years after the vintage to be sippers.

Thanks Joe.

Charles

I don't know what Mr. Perry would do, but huge markups mean water for me. I tried the '97 Kalin the other day and it was way past its peak (the cork was in bad shape and may have been the culprit).

Are you writing about the Joe Perry that works as a butler for Joe Dressner? I have found after years of study to do the antithesis of what Joe P. recommends.

I don't know what Mr. Perry would do, but huge markups mean water for me. I tried the '97 Kalin the other day and it was way past its peak (the cork was in bad shape and may have been the culprit).

Dan,
I believe the '97 is the current release, though the style is certainly not for everyone.
Markup on this wine was what passes for reasonable.
Charles

Charles, nice! I've had the '96 Kalin a few times and twice have written up notes (which barely resemble one another) on it. Some of the people I drank it with said it reminded them of a Bus Station bathroom or something to that effect, but I've always been a fan. Maybe I should try drinking it in a bus station bathroom to get the full experience...

1996 Kalin Cellars Semillon Livermore Valley. June 2009. The appearance of this bottle was certainly a bit questionable--with a big flat piece of what looks like crunchy creme brulee topping floating around the bottom and a whispery cloud-like loogie wafting around through the middle. It was poured with some trepidation, but there was no need to fear. The wine offers up aromas of white peach, brown sugar, kiwi, pineapple, lanolin, meringue, wet wool, chalk and crushed gravel stones. In the mouth, it presents a somewhat sweet entry and mid-palate but a dry finish. It has a slightly waxy texture, and a thick feel through the mid-palate, with a decent sense of bass note. Otherwise, it is medium-bodied, with decent length and some nice acidity bubbling up on the chalky, dusty finish. This is a wine with a lot of character and is a good deal of fun to drink.

1996 Kalin Cellars Semillon Livermore Valley. July 2008. I would say this was a very divisive wine and was not without some controversy. Speaking just for myself, I loved it, but I may have stood alone (or at least in the decided minority) and I am making no apologies for it! To begin, the wine shows a dark golden color. One encounters all kinds of crazy stuff on the nose, led by brown sugar, toasted caramel, just-ground dark-roasted coffee beans and darkly toasted wood, along with some perhaps oxidative notes of old veggies and faint copper. In the mouth, there is a faintly metallic note on the entry but the wine quickly expands to pull in flavors of pear, tangerine, lemon and minerals, all supported by zingy spices and acids. It is pretty viscously-textured, with moderately full body and a fine drive through to the long, waxy-fruited finish. Sure, it is not the usual, but it’s all the better for it. Two nights later, I came back to the leftovers (a lot, thankfully!) and found again all kinds of crazy aromatic complexity, this time led by marshmallows, honey and tropical fruits. The palate was a lot less funky, but did manage to surprise with new flavor sensations of white chocolate and vanilla bean. Wild stuff.

-Michael