Matt got together a group with the loose theme of "70s Bordeaux" last
night. Some food glitches, but an enjoyable night with good company.

starters (thanks Jay)
1997 Alzinger Gruner Veltliner Smaragd (I missed vineyard)
Started out as solid, full, and a bit foursquare, without a lot of GV
character, but tasty. The character appeared in spades with air, all
green pea and white pepper. Very nice. B+/A-

1985 Drouhin "Les Clos" Chablis GC
A perplexing wine, though one person loved and a couple hated. Deep
color, at first nose is heavy with the cheese and oxidative notes, but
the palate is soft, full, and friendly. With air nose brightened, lost
the cheesiness, and reminded me of old Tondonia. At end I quite liked
the nose, but then it felt like palate had lost its freshness. I think
I never hit the magical moment of nose/palate synergy. B/B-

1975 Pape Clement
Red fruit, tobacco, pencil lead, oveley (don't know what that means,
but looks like what I wrote). Least tannic '75 I've run across. B

1970 Figeac
Very different, big sweet fruit, a little lifted, lots of ferric
notes. Some herby notes. Just a hint of roasted note made worry re
storage , but retasted 2 hours later I liked it much more than
initially. When poured, B/B+, later one of my faves

1971 Giscours
Sweet berry fruits, more acid than tannic backbone, cedar. Lovely
mature Margaux. B+

1975 Palmer
Sweet fruit, some tannins sticking out, but nowhere near as tannic as
hard as nails bottle I had last month. Solid, and I might have enjoyed
more if it had come with the meat.

1970 Mouton-Rothschild
I've had this a couple of times before, and this is best bottle (Matt
said same thing). Big exotic nose of mocha, herbs, and mushrooms. Lush
on palate, quite nice. B+/A-

1970 Leoville Las Cases
This had some pretty solid fruit, but seemed a little pedestrian/dull
next to its flightmate. I told someone that I'd have been thrilled if
it was a Gloria or Langoa-Barton, but for a super-second a bit
disappointing. B

1975 Haut Brion
Quite divisive wine. My wine of the night by a hair, I found quite
typical, with plenty of cedar, tobacco, and earth. Just some hard 1975
tannins kept it from being outstanding, others liked much less. A-/B+

1978 Latour
Broad shouldered, lots of cassis, pencil shavings, earth. I voted for
HB but thing this was table WOTN. A-/B+

2003 Lafaurie Peyraugey
Dense, apricots, orange marmalade, intense, but could use some more
acid. B/B+

Good group of folks, and Morton's at least has the advantage of being
close to Grand Central.

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.