Off-line in London w/out London CT:ers
http://www.tufnellparktavern.com
Tasted Wednesday, September 5, 2012 by StefanAkiko with 518 views
Introduction
Without any British CT:ers, this proved to be a great evening of bliss and fine wine. We followed the Japanese code of conduct, meaning that we left a little icewine for the proprietor who had to leave early.
Flight 1 - Everything except the ice wine (6 Notes)
SML shone brightly and the Vin Jaune had us all gasping for our breaths... It all went down well with the meat.
Flight 2 - Icewine blindness (1 Note)
No-one figured out that it was not made of grapes. Quite an impressive wine!
Closing
The proprietors and personnel of Tufnell Park Tavern gave amazing service. And with no corkage fee, reasonably priced and very well made food and fine glasses, I'm sure to want to return whenever I'm in London.
2007 Château de Fonbel
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
This showed better than before.
It did very well as the quaffer of the evening.
Gave away two as gifts to the proprietors of the venue.
Igniting small hopes for our last remaining bottle.
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2001 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Non-blind. Had immediately.
Impression: Outstanding with potential for even further pleasure!
(The only btl I scored tonight due to fatigue.)
This is a perfect Bordeaux nose with fantastic size and scope.
In the mouth it booms with everything great of left bank Bordeaux. Impeccably balanced: fine acids, stern tannin, long flavours building up from entry to hatch. Opulent in the best sense of the word.
Loved by all. First btl to run dry. Hitting its stride in fantastic fashion. So happy wife and I still have 5 btls to eeeennjoy.
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2011 Château Guiraud Le G 90 Points
France, Bordeaux
At the venue, they sell this as "The G-spot of white Bordeaux" :-)
This is an apricots galore wine with ooompf (balance, length, concentration, potential) and a bright prospect for advanced pleasures in the future. Me thinks at least as good as the unbelievably expensive more famous dry whites of the region.
No "disturbing" SB-character and at the price, a QPR that is most unusually high for anything out of Bordeaux in the high quality range.
I think this wine will reach a score up to maybe even 94 as time goes by. I'm very happy to have a half-case of this for future sinful pleasures.
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2005 Clos de Gat Ayalon Valley
Israel, Judean Hills
Non-blind. Had immediately.
Licorice and red fruit on the nose. The palate shows a very well and firmly structured wine of distinction, complexity and length.
In it's early drinking window and should develop quite nicely.
We all agreed that this is a Musar without the (wonderful) funk. Not at all rendering this less wonderful, just more "pure". A wine to seek out!
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1989 Bodegas Muriel Rioja Viña Muriel Gran Reserva
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Seconding Christhewino on this one. I would like to add that you need to listen carefully to this one, since its voice is a little brittle, but so full of nuance that it is worth it. A lovely smooth, fully mature Rioja GR of distinction and a treat for all of us dill-lovers.
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1999 Michel Tissot & Fils Arbois Vin Jaune
France, Jura, Arbois
The evening's MOST interesting wine, by far.
The nose started out so oxidized that only Fino sherry would be the correct description. It blows off a bit over time and becomes more and more a wine with an ultra-dry Hungarian Tokaj character. There are so many things going on on the palate that every sip is almost a new experience. Acids provide a strong and fine back bone for this illustrious example of a great yellow wine.
We all liked it a lot.
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