I’ve enjoyed their whites in the past, had one recently and some friends had never heard of it. I thought they were still around, but their website doesn’t look like it has been touched since the days of dial-up.
thanks…situation still seems vague. that has to be the worst website in the wine industry.
I just happened to be at Uncle Yus drinking a glass of Kalin Sem when I sent that.
Who knows. I don’t get answers from emails but they are delivering wine
Uncle Yu’s: what a place…going there soon
The last time I was there they were pouring 20 yo Kalin BTG
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Mel, they still are pouring old Kalin by the glass!
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They still are. Chard, sem, and Pinot.
That would be a really great place for a Bay Area offline.
Anyone else interested?
Michael,
I would love to, but I need to do the opposite!!
For those of you in the East bay, this place has an incredible wine list.
As the Michelin people would say, it is worth the detour.
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I put a 1990 Kalin Livermore Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve into a blind tasting last night and it was excellent (and won consensus WOTN). It’s drinking in its prime for my tastes.
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Wow, this reminds me I have a ‘99 Semillon sitting around somewhere that needs to get opened!
Glad to know, I have a 1990 Sonoma County reserve standing up for the right occasion
There’s no rush to do so, but the ‘98 we opened last year was really lovely and characterful
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Just figured I would post a note here.
I’ve heard that Terry Leighton (founder of Kalin) passed away recently.
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When I was a student at Cal in the late 80s, I helped China Moon Cafe in SF with their wine list. Kalin’s wines were a staple on that list, especially the Semillion and Pinot Noirs. Terry and Frances came in one night for dinner and we struck up a conversation. As I recall, they were both micro-biology professors by training and Frances might have still been teaching. They were both quirky, deeply knowledgeable and opinionated on food and wine (Terry thought the then-current food editor of the Chronicle had “the palate of a horse”), and incredibly, incredibly warm. We were young and poor back then, and they treated us to dinner out several times, when they would always bring fantastic under-the radar burgundies and other special wines. We moved away shortly after that and only connected a few times via email, but I’ll always treasure those meals. I’ll toast a glass to you tonight, Terry!
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Sad news indeed. Will try to keep you updated about what’s happening with the wine library. I’ll be writing an obit for World Of Fine Wine when I get back from my current Bordeaux trip.
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This is terribly sad. Kalin has always been so beautifully anachronistic. At their worst, these wines are fascinating and at their best, these wines are transcendental. I’m glad I have a few bottles in the cellar, but part of the fun has always been trying to source Kalin wines in far-flung wine stores that have forgotten where these bottles came from.
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Such sad news… they made singular wines and i would say 2 out of every 3 were stunning
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Does anyone know if they are still in operation and where to find them in stores (perhaps some small specialty location)?
There doesn’t appear to be a website anymore and very little information on availability through Wine-Searcher.
Thanks in advance.
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Interestingly, a bunch of old ('77-86) Kalin wines in mostly case+ quantities have showed up in Acker’s upcoming May 29th auction (lots 291-320). Methinks this is where their library ended up.
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Of all places… 
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