This wine is slightly darker-colored and releases aromas of perfectly ripened red fruits spiced with toasty oak. This ample, rich, velvety-textured, and full-bodied offering is crammed with blackberries, gamey meats (this characteristic will most likely disappear with racking), cinnamon, juniper berries, and metallic shavings. Its immensely long and satiny finish offers flavors of cloves, cassis, and black cherries intermingled with traces of new oak spiciness for additional complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2010. Philippe Engel, the fun-loving and highly-talented director of this estate, crafted superb 1996s, but what else is new? This estate can be consistently depended upon to produce first-rate wine. When I visited Engel at the end of January he had recently bottled the Vosne-Romanee and had performed the final racking on the Vosne-Romanee Les Brulees. A Peter Vezan Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42-65-42-93).

The 1996 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru, from the late Philippe Engel, has a very enticing, but it would appear, fully mature bouquet with wild mushroom and woodland/damp earth aromas infusing the loose-knit black fruit. There is perhaps just a touch of volatile acidity here, at least on this bottle. The palate is medium-bodied and it felt a little disjointed at first. However, we were afforded time and it coalesced nicely, though I remarked upon a slight "fish oil" note towards the finish that lent it an Oriental personality. The tannins feel softened after almost 20 years and there is just a touch of dryness. It's a fine Grands Echézeaux, though I have tasted better vintages before, including the 1991 tasted alongside. Drink now and over the next five years.