Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole 2019

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

About Clos de Tart

900 Years of Uninterrupted History

With its 7.53 hectares, Clos de Tart is the largest of the five Grands Crus Monopoles in Burgundy.

The Grand Cru appellation applies to terroirs with an excellent reputation that can produce the very best wines. There are only 33 of these appellations in Burgundy and their production taken together represents only 1% of total regional production.

The reference to ‘Monopole’ indicates that the climat is entirely in sole ownership. This is quite rare in Burgundy as the plots, even the very small ones, have frequently been divided up over time and for inheritance reasons.

Custodian of a rich and fascinating history spanning nine centuries, Clos de Tart’s vineyard has never been divided, which is a very rare occurrence in Burgundy.

A unique treasure, the Estate has only had four owners throughout its history:

• The Cistercian nuns of Tart Abbey from 1141 to 1791,
• The Marey-Monge Family from 1791 to 1932,
• The Mommessin Family from 1932 to 2018,
• The Pinault Family via their holding company, Artémis Domaines, since April 2018.

In the Winery

Vat Room

The Estate inaugurated a new vat room for the 2019 vintage.

As we have increased the number of vats (we went from seven stainless steel vats to fourteen tronconic wooden vats of different sizes), it has enabled us to be even more precise in our winemaking methods. Whilst precision has always been a constant at Clos de Tart, the new vat room will help us to further showcase the diversity and complementary features of the different subplots of this great terroir.

Grapes and Winemaking

The grapes from the different micro climats of the Estate are carefully selected one by one on a sorting table so that only the best ones find their way to the vats.

Then comes the winemaking phase. The proportion of whole bunches used will vary depending on the quality of the stalks and their ripeness. Indeed, the percentage of whole bunches used in fermentation differs depending on the plot.

Broadly-speaking, only one third of most of the plots from the bottom part of Clos de Tart will be whole-bunch fermented, as the soils here have a high limestone content, whereas it amounts to about two thirds in the majority of plots in the upper half of the vineyard where there is a higher proportion of marl in the soil.

On average, given the surface area of each micro climat, we usually use around 55% of whole bunches for Clos de Tart Grand Cru. We do not use any whole bunches when making La Forge de Tart Premier Cru.

The grapes are vinified separately in wooden vats which have different capacities. By using fermentation vessels adapted to the size of the various subplots, we can vinify each batch that will make up the final blend of Clos de Tart in the best possible way.

Each vat has an independent temperature-control system which means we are able to monitor fermentation temperatures at all times and adjust them if necessary, in accordance with the needs of each micro terroir.

We do not use any commercial yeast in the winemaking process. The alcoholic fermentation is carried out by 100% wild yeast.

The malolactic fermentation is also completely natural as we do not inoculate with any lactic bacteria. Depending on the vintage character, this fermentation may occur quickly (ending around December/January) or take much longer (usually they finish around May/June).

The wines are then put into barrel and the oak-ageing process lasts around 18 months. Initially we keep each batch separate to make sure we respect the very essence of each wine so it can develop at its own pace.

The final blend is now made earlier than it was in the past. This is a crucial stage as it determines the final structure of Clos de Tart Grand Cru. Generally, it now takes place in the June following the harvest.

The ageing process can thus be split into two main stages. For the first nine months the batches are aged individually and for the next nine months we age as a blended wine. This applies to both the Grand Cru and the Premier Cru.

Typically vines of Clos de Tart that are under twenty-five years old are used to make La Forge de Tart Premier Cru. Three main plots go into the production of this wine. Depending on the features of the vintage, usually only de-stemmed grapes are used to make La Forge de Tart.

Our new Village-level wine, Morey-Saint-Denis, was introduced in the 2018 vintage. It comes from young vines that have been planted to replace old and unproductive vines which have been uprooted across the entire vineyard. After a few years, the grapes from these vines can be used to make this wine. These replanting operations are handled with the upmost care as they regenerate the vineyard and ensure its longevity, as one day these young plants will produce Clos de Tart Grand Cru.

In the Vineyard

Clos de Tart’s vineyard is planted with the best Pinot Noir vines, commonly called Pinots Fins that come from a selection of the highest-quality plants. They are the result of centuries-old viticultural savoir-faire acquired from the best terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.

Thanks to the high average age of our vines, many of which are around sixty years old, we can reveal the very essence and soul of this remarkable vineyard.

We are very aware of our responsibilities as the current custodians of this precious jewel of a vineyard, and as such, we have decided to continue work started by our predecessors who converted the vineyard to organic farming methods. Frédéric Engerer, CEO of Artémis Domaines, and Alessandro Noli, Estate Director, have continued moving in the same direction and have converted the entire vineyard to biodynamic viticulture. The aim of this is to allow our unique plant material to express all of its potential with the utmost respect for the terroir and the people that work tirelessly to showcase it.

Precision viticulture

This rectangular plot is 300m long by 250m wide and is situated mid-slope at an altitude which varies between 269m and 302m. The entire plot has a south-easterly aspect.

Whilst the exposure does not vary, the geology is very complex. The clayey-limestone soil is made up of several different types of limestone which give rise to several well-delineated micro climats. Each of these twelve micro climats is harvested separately. Contrary to the large majority of vineyards in the Côte-d’Or, the vines at Clos de Tart are planted North to South, perpendicular to the slope line. It helps to avoid erosion by planting this way as the soil stays in place during the winter rains. It also means the grapes are exposed on both sides to morning and afternoon sun so it is much easier for them to reach optimal ripeness. Furthermore, thanks to this alternating exposure to the sun’s rays, the grapes are less susceptible to scalding at the height of summer. However, planting grapes in rows from North to South is an uncommon sight on Burgundian hillsides as the steep gradient renders the mechanisation of vineyard work very difficult. That is why most vineyard tasks at Clos de Tart are carried out manually.

On average vines at the estate are around sixty years old and some are centenary. When we replant, we do so by using vines from massal selections of our best-performing plants that are chosen by team members assisted by vine nursery specialists. Clos de Tart has its own nursery where we keep the plants selected for use by the estate. They are used to replace dead vines and plot replanting.

The riches of this climat* are quite extraordinary, as indeed is the slope of the vineyard. Interestingly, the vines are planted with a North/South exposure, which is not commonly practiced on the hillsides of the Côte-d’Or.

In recent years, in-depth studies have been carried out to better understand the nature of each sub-plot that makes up the mosaic of soils and subsoils at Clos de Tart. Thanks to these efforts, today we are able to faithfully transcribe how these twelve different subplots complement one another and offer the purest expression of our precious Pinot Noir vines.

2016 saw the introduction of biodynamic practices with Biodyvin certification following in 2019.

The 2019 Vintage at Clos de Tart

2019: Powerful and Concentrated, yet elegant and aromatically complex

High temperatures in February and March led to an early bud burst – around two weeks earlier than in 2018 – on 2nd April in some of the early-ripening plots. However, the beginning of April saw very cool temperatures and there was a major risk of frost, which fortunately did not materialise thanks to anti-frost candles deployed throughout the vineyard.

This cold spell disrupted the growth cycle slowing down the vines’ development and led to the flowering process occurring at a normal time (one week later than 2018). The vines were in bloom from 6th June and this lasted for 10 days.

2019 was also notable for its lack of rain, despite April being wetter than normal. Drought conditions returned in May and this continued into June, becoming exacerbated in July. Furthermore, summer 2019 was exceptionally hot with two heatwaves in July. Normal weather conditions returned at the beginning of August and lasted until September. Harvest began in excellent weather on Friday 13th September – two weeks later than in 2018 – and went on for 6 days in similarly good conditions. The grapes were perfectly healthy and little sorting was required.

Thanks to plentiful water reserves in the soil, vine growth continued and, by 27th July, half of the berries had changed colour. The berries finished ripening in August without hinderance despite the hot and often scorching weather. The harvest was early and we started picking on a record-breaking 30th August and continued non-stop until 3rd September. The berries unveiled beautiful aromas, thick skins and ripe tannins.

“Alessandro Noli, who was the prior régisseur of Château Grillet, is now fully installed at Clos de Tart and with a new cuverie to work with as well. As I mentioned last year, Noli confirmed that the two significant changes that were announced last year have been followed through on. The first is that rather than having six or even seven separate cuvées from which to create the final blend that is finally bottled as Clos de Tart, that blend will now be made at least 12 months in advance of the bottling. The idea is that the wine will be more harmonious once it is finally released. The second change is that the amount of new wood is being reduced from around 80% to approximately 65 to 70%. With respect to the 2019 vintage, Noli observed that “we picked from the 13th to the 18th of September and brought in ripe and clean fruit with very good phenolic maturities. We used around 55% whole clusters for the Clos but only 15% for the Forge and none at all for the Morey villages. Yields were quite good as they came in around 31 hl/ha. I chose to vinify very softly, so we did only three interventions because rather than punching down in the usual sense, we did them manually by foot followed by very short pump overs to homogenize the musts. As to the wines, I am very happy with them as they have a wonderful sense of harmony and balance to them. The tannins are dense but quite fine and this obviously contributes to the sense of finesse and refinement. They are less marked by the sun as well compared to the 2018s. We will see in time, but I am optimistic that they will age well.” Noli also noted that the 2018 Clos de Tart and the La Forge de Tart (which were vinified by Noli’s predecessor Jacques Devauges, both reviewed below, were bottled in April and May 2020.”

Allen Meadows – burghound.com – 10 January 2021

“Alessandro Noli, the new régisseur of Clos de Tart, seems to have found his feet in short order, and I was very impressed by his debut 2019 vintage. Changes here include much gentler handling of the grapes during cuvaison—just occasional “foulage,” as Noli puts it, by foot—and diminished percentages of new oak: 70% for the Tart herself, and 50% for the Forge. Some concrete eggs, it seems, now keep the fûts company in the cellar. The 2019s, produced by these methods, showed brilliantly, and I look forward to seeing what Noli will be able to achieve in coming vintages. The burly, rich and overtly sun-kissed 2018 vintage, by contrast, can’t claim to number among my favorites, and it will clearly take a distant last place among the four vintages produced during Jacques Desvauges’ time as régisseur of this historic domaine.”

William Kelley – wineadvocate.com – 15 January 2021

Where in the World is Clos de Tart?

Clos de Tart is both a walled vineyard, Clos, and Monopole, being owned by just one owner. It’s located in the heart of Morey-Saint-Denis on the Chambolle-Musigny border adjacent to Bonnes-Mares, which incidentally a small slice of is in Morey-Saint-Denis.