1999 Domaine René Engel Echézeaux Grand Cru

A mildly spicy and earthy nose that mixes both notes of primary and secondary aromas leads to moderately concentrated medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a still somewhat austere but persistent finish. While this is not yet completely à point, it's getting close and could certainly be drunk now with pleasure. In short, this is a perfectly good but not truly distinguished vintage in the context of how this wine typically performs. Another recent bottle displayed quite a lot of reduction that never did entirely blow off though it did not extend to compromising the palate impression.

Tasted at the Domaine Engel tasting in London, it had been 11 years since I last tasted the 1999 Echezeaux Grand Cru and this was a far superior experience. It has a dense, powerful bouquet in keeping with the vintage: slightly minty dark plum and mulberry fruit, a hint of soy. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, impressive body and density with earthy red and black fruit, just a touch of volatility lending warmth at the back of the throat. This is a gutsy Echezeaux, a little gaminess creeping in towards the finish with white pepper lingering on the aftertaste. It just pips the Clos de Vougeot this year. Tasted October 2016. Jan 2017, www.robertparker.com