Philippe Engel's grandfather was one of the great innovators in pre-1939 Burgundy and was instrumental in setting up the 'order of Tastevinage' based at the chateau of Clos Vougeot. Today, Philippe is considered one of the very finest winemakers in the Cote d'Or, which make his wines, always in very short supply, one of the most sought-after in Vosne Romanee.
In between Nuits St. George and Gevrey-Chambertin, in the heart of one of the smallest communes but also one of the most prestigious, is Domaine Rene Engel founded by the man who bears the Domaines name. A passionate man and an ardent supporter of Burgundy and her wines, Rene Engel was a oenology professor at the University of Dijon.
Successor of 4 generations of wine growers, including his father and grandfather, Philippe Engel knew how to develop his legacy and now produces some of the best wines France has to offer. With great tenacity, he took over the domaine in a very efficient manner, imparting the wines with his personality and know-how, acquired both at the Viticultural School of Beaune and in the vineyard..
Philippe in particular decided to reduce the yield at harvest time and now the grapes are entirely destemmed and severely sorted on a sorting table. Then, after 18 to 25 days of fermentation, the wine is placed in new oak barrels (with the proportions of 70% for Grands Crus and 30% for Premier Crus).
However, when the vintage permits, Philippe prefers barrel ageing his wine on the lees, if not, he racks the wine once malolactic fermentation is completed. After 12 to 18 months of ageing in new oak barrels and lightly filtering the wines to intensify their depth and brilliance, they are finally bottled, and ready to reveal their richness and character.
Today, Philippe has vineyards that cover of 7 hectares including 1.37 ha of Clos Vougeot (bought in 1920), 5,000 square metres of Grand Echezeaux (the 2nd Grand Cru), 5,000 square metres of Echezeaux, 2.54 ha of Vosne Village and 1.05 ha of Vosne Premier Cru Les Brulees.
A lovely ruby coloured wine showing aromas of red fruit this is a complex wine with a sophisticated structure, soft tannin and enjoyable long finish.
