For various reasons, we decided to have our Easter dinner a day early,
so tonight cooked a leg of lamb in a vaguely Basque style and served it
with oven-roasted Peruvian purple fingerling potatoes and asparagus (I
gave the morels in the store a long, hard look but passed as they were
$40 a carton and not locally sourced yet). With this repast, we brought
forth from the cellar:

1970 Ducru-Beaucaillou
color: dark red-purple center going orange at the rim
nose: modest cedary overtones to dark fruit, becoming herbal later
palate: medium body, fruity mid-palate, lovely secondary nuances, fully
resolved tannins, harmonious, balanced

This was the last of a cache purchased jointly with Dale last year or
so, and probably the best of the lot. Its most impressive aspect was
its balance and harmony. It retained a freshness to its fruit and
seemed quite primary initially upon opening, but later took on subtle
but distinct secondary elements of an herbal-tobacco nature. Just
lovely with the lamb, despite the liberal use of garlic, thyme and
oregano in the marinade.

Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On Apr 12, 12:44*am, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> For various reasons, we decided to have our Easter dinner a day early,
> so tonight cooked a leg of lamb in a vaguely Basque style and served it
> with oven-roasted Peruvian purple fingerling potatoes and asparagus (I
> gave the morels in the store a long, hard look but passed as they were
> $40 a carton and not locally sourced yet). *With this repast, we brought
> forth from the cellar:
>
> 1970 Ducru-Beaucaillou
> color: dark red-purple center going orange at the rim
> nose: modest cedary overtones to dark fruit, becoming herbal later
> palate: medium body, fruity mid-palate, lovely secondary nuances, fully
> resolved tannins, harmonious, balanced
>
> This was the last of a cache purchased jointly with Dale last year or
> so, and probably the best of the lot. *Its most impressive aspect was
> its balance and harmony. * It retained a freshness to its fruit and
> seemed quite primary initially upon opening, but later took on subtle
> but distinct secondary elements of an herbal-tobacco nature. *Just
> lovely with the lamb, despite the liberal use of garlic, thyme and
> oregano in the marinade.

The 1970 Ducru-Beaucaillou has been one of the best 1970 St. Juliens
for many years, and I am still keeping 3 bottles. Every bottle I had
in the past was of the same high quality, so I am not surprised that
you liked your bottle very much. I have not had a better one other
than the 1961 of which I have only one bottle left. Some of the 1970
first growths, such as Lafite and Margaux, are far behind 1970 Ducru
in quality. However 1970 Ch. Latour is well ahead of the 1970 Ducru
and any other 1970 Bordeaux I have had. But if you have to buy it
today, you will have to pay much more for it than any other 1970
Bordeaux with the possible exception of Ch. Petrus. Fortunately I
bought 6 bottles of it soon after release and still have them. It
likely will far outlive me, although it should be mature enough to
enjoy now.

On Apr 12, 1:44*am, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> For various reasons, we decided to have our Easter dinner a day early,
> so tonight cooked a leg of lamb in a vaguely Basque style and served it
> with oven-roasted Peruvian purple fingerling potatoes and asparagus (I
> gave the morels in the store a long, hard look but passed as they were
> $40 a carton and not locally sourced yet). *With this repast, we brought
> forth from the cellar:
>
> 1970 Ducru-Beaucaillou
> color: dark red-purple center going orange at the rim
> nose: modest cedary overtones to dark fruit, becoming herbal later
> palate: medium body, fruity mid-palate, lovely secondary nuances, fully
> resolved tannins, harmonious, balanced
>
> This was the last of a cache purchased jointly with Dale last year or
> so, and probably the best of the lot. *Its most impressive aspect was
> its balance and harmony. * It retained a freshness to its fruit and
> seemed quite primary initially upon opening, but later took on subtle
> but distinct secondary elements of an herbal-tobacco nature. *Just
> lovely with the lamb, despite the liberal use of garlic, thyme and
> oregano in the marinade.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: *http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

thanks for note. Going to a dinner tomorrow night, we're doing "mature
Bdx" blind, maybe I'll bring this (don't think anyone there reads
AFW).