Clos de Tart : Clos de Tart Grand cru Monopole 2015

A Symphony of Ripe Fruit and Silky Smooth Tannins in a Legendary Red Burgundy

The legendary Clos de Tart estate is located in the Morey-Saint-Denis appellation of the Cotes-de-Nuits in Burgundy. Founded in 1141 by the Cistercian nuns of the Norte Dame de Tart, this 18.6-acre property was given its own AOC and declared a Grand Cru, making it the largest Grand Cru monopole in Burgundy. In early 2018, the Mommessin family sold the property to French billionaire and owner of holdings company Artemis Domaines Francois Pinault. Following in the footsteps of the visionary estate director Sylvain Pitiot, Jacques Desvauges is today at the helm of the winemaking program at Clos de Tart and completely dedicated to the production of beautiful Burgundy wines, year after year. The Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole 2015 is a 100% Pinot Noir blended from the 6 different sections (each with its own specific microterroirs) of the monopole, whose vines are 60 years old on average and planted north to south to minimize erosion. Several practices, including green pruning and debudding, are practiced in order to limit the yield to 23-30 hectoliters per hectare, significantly smaller than the 40 hectoliters per hectare allowed by the appellation. Following manual harvest and a very thorough sorting, the fruit undergoes 1 week of pre-fermentation maceration, 1 week of alcoholic fermentation on native yeasts with around 40% whole bunches and 1 week of post-fermentation maceration. The wine is drained by gravity into casks. For the first 10 months, the wines of each parcel rest in new oak barrels on the ground floor of the winery. Then, they are moved down to the underground cellar, where they complete their maturation, which takes 18-24 months in total. The crus are blended immediately before bottling, without being filtered. The 2015 vintage was the first at Clos de Tart to be produced entirely under the direction of Jacques Desvauges.

The Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole 2015 displays a deep, bright red color in the glass with ruby reflections. On the nose, the bouquet reveals a symphony of ripe red and black fruit aromas, including plum, cassis, black raspberry and cherry, along with floral touches of rose petals and a crushed rock minerality. Following a fruity attack, the wine graces the palate with great clarity and precision, intense without being too heavy and brightened by a razor-sharp acidity. The tannins are very fine and smooth, with great natural poise. Flavours of dark fruit abound, interlaced with touches of mocha and brown spices. The finish builds slowly and gradually, with great elegance, complexity and persistence. A wine built to age effortlessly for decades in the bottle.