One of the most famous historical vineyards in Burgundy, Clos de Tart in Morey Saint Denis is one of only six Grand Cru Monopoles (a vineyard solely owned by one family).
The Clos de Tart started as a religious order by a branch of Cistercians (a female order known as Bernadines) in 1141 acquired vines in what was called “La Forge”. It was not until the mid 15th Century that the estate became a clos with the wall that now stands all the way around the vineyard. Since 1141, there have only been 3 owners of the Clos de Tart. It was purchased by the Marey-Monge family following the French revolution in 1791 and finally the Mommessin family were able to purchase the estate in 1932 following the crippling economic crisis for just 400,000 Francs.
Clos de Tart is a 7.53ha vineyard and is unusually planted north-south rather than commonly east-west to protect it from erosion and benefit from maximum drainage. It has been managed by Sylvain Pitiot for the past 20 years and enhanced the reputation for the quality of the wine. Though described by many as being full bodied and masculine whereas, I have always found the wine to be ultra-elegant, luscious and refined with a very feminine edge working on elegance rather than power.
Speaking with Jacques Devauges who has just replaced Sylvain Pitiot though, Sylvain has and will continue to work and consult through the 2015 vintage he said that even compared with recent vintages 2013 was tough. He claimed that before the malolactic fermentation was complete the wine seemed hard and austere but following the malo the wine changed and developed lovely cherry notes and started to fill out. The Clos de Tart showed very impressively and for me was one of the wines of the tasting.
