Vosne Romanée Les Brûlées, Domaine Engel 2002

Initially the nose displays some mild reduction that is replaced relatively quickly with ripe yet fresh and very spicy dark berry fruit and earth-suffused aromas. There is good energy and ample minerality to the medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a delicious if ever-so-slightly firm and tangy finish. While this could certainly be enjoyed now, to my taste this is not quite ready as it is definitely evolving more slowly than I originally envisioned when I first tasted it from cask.

The 2002 Vosne-Romanée les Brûlées from the late Philippe Engel is drinking extremely well. It has a mature color with a wide tawny rim. The nose is mellow with touches of bacon fat, rosemary, light brambly red fruit and spicebox - very sedate and charming. The palate is medium-bodied and more forward than the Grands Echézeux '02 that I coincidentally tasted a week later. The tannins here are softer and there is not the same pizzazz toward the finish, but it does continue to give a lot of pleasure and a refined, slightly rustic style. Drink 2014-2024