So Mark Lipton and I made a couple of bids together in an HDH auction, and won a lot. 1970 Bordeaux, primarily Ducru-Beaucaillou (6 bottles). We took 3 bottles each, and Mark came up with idea of a simultaneous tasting. So these are my notes (I'm a time zone ahead, but if he has posted earlier I promise not to look if I see thread).
We wanted to do similar Bdx-friendly food, and chose roast chicken. Betsy did the Thomas Keller Bouchon chicken (using thyme), with a broccoli rabe/pea dish, barley, and an arugula salad. I decided to use the bottle with the worst fill, about high shoulder. It had sat up for a week. Took off capsule, wiped (lead!!!!), used corkscrew, and cork promptly broke. 90% saturated. Hmmmmm.
Hey, not so bad. Not bad at all! Color is nice- a medium-red with only a hint of clear edges, no real browning. Nose of red currants, raspberries, leather. Red color partially transfers to the palate- previous bottles of this I tried have seemed all black fruit, this shows both red fruit and dark berries and cassis. Cedar is the predominant non-fruit odor, but there is tobacco, forest floor, and a little cocoa.
This surprises me as there are still a little bit of tannins unresolved. Not lush, there are good but smooth acids. Good length, concentration. Holds well over a couple hours, a lovely mature Bordeaux. Considering this is the bottle with the worst fill I am very happy with our buy! B+/A-