Clos de Tart 2021 vintage En primeur

“My favourite Clos de Tart. For me, 2021 is the ideal expression of Pinot Noir.”

ALESSANDRO NOLI, WINEMAKER, NOVEMBER 2022 (AND AGAIN IN NOVEMBER 2023…)

WORTH THE WAIT

Our first release from Clos de Tart since June 2022 sees the domaine move to in-bottle release timing.

This later release model has been adopted in recent years by a number of high quality domaines. It is positive all round, enabling merchants and critics to taste finished wines rather than barrel samples and removing the unknowns that come with selling wines while they remain in barrel. It does mean that it has been some time since our last release, however.

Burgundy and Bordeaux now overlap, both in our calendars and in the personalities. As I write, we are preparing to visit Bordeaux for the 2023 vintage tastings. A group we look forward to catching up with there is the Artémis Domaines team at Château Latour, who have been responsible for the commercial side of Clos de Tart since the Pinault family acquired it in 2018.

That acquisition saw Clos de Tart, the largest of Burgundy’s grands crus monopoles, change hands for only the third time since the estate belonged to the nuns of Nôtre-Dame de Tart in the 12th century.

2021 is our fifteenth Clos de Tart release since our first vintage as exclusive UK agent in 2007. During that time, we have witnessed its rise to the top of Burgundy, aided by the supremely capable team of Managing Director Frédéric Engerer, Sales & Marketing Director Jean Garandeau and winemaker Alessandro Noli

GUY SEDDON, HEAD OF FINE WINE BUYING

April 2024

HISTORY

Clos de Tart was acquired in 1141 by the Cistercian nunnery of Nôtre-Dame de Tart.

Originally called La Forge, the wall around the vineyard was built in the 15th century, entitling it to be called a clos

Clos de Tart was confiscated from the Church following the 1789 French Revolution and in 1791 acquired uncontested at auction by local wine merchant NicolasJoseph Marey. At the same auction the Marey family, later Marey-Monge, bought the entire Romanée-SaintVivant vineyard.

The second change in ownership, in 1932, took place against a backdrop of global depression. Clos de Tart was bought by the Mommessin family, again at auction, for 400,000 francs. The Mommessins ran a successful

négociant house in Mâcon, which was eventually sold to Boisset in the 1990s.

Jules Lavalle’s 1855 Plan Topographique of the Côte d’Or named one Tête de Cuvée vineyard in Morey-Saint-Denis: Clos de Tart. In part thanks to this, Clos de Tart was granted Burgundy’s highest status in the grand cru decree of 1939.

Following the bestowal of grand cru status in 1939, the Clos’ wall was extended to include some adjoining vines. In 1965-6, an additional 0.278 hectares was added from Bonnes-Mares: vines which, despite being in ChambolleMusigny, were within the walls of the Clos.

THE VINEYARD

Clos de Tart is the largest of Burgundy’s grands crus monopoles and the only one in Morey-Saint-Denis.

Behind the white limestone walls of the domaine, inclining up and away from the Route des Grands Crus, are the 7.53 hectares of Clos de Tart.

The gently sloping vineyard faces east, making it something of an anomaly in the village. The vines run north-south, perpendicular to the slope rather than up and down. As well as giving a unique sun exposure, this protects against erosion.

Although this is one contiguous vineyard, the soil composition varies greatly. The map opposite shows the various plots, which are vinified as separate cuvées, before being blended around a month before bottling.

The Clos’ clay-limestone soils comprise three distinct soil types, from three geological eras. The first of these is calcaires à entroques, loose limestone-rich fossilised marine animals. Second is white marl, a deep layer of which runs through the mid-slope section. Finally, there is a layer of very hard, compacted Prémeaux limestone. The cuvées change every year, but there is some correlation with these soil types.

The average vine age is over 60 years, with some vines being over 100 years old. The domaine has a nursery at the bottom of the village which provides new vines when replanting is necessary.

Planting density is high: 11,000 vines per hectare on average, with the younger vines having been planted at 12,500. The resulting competition for nutrients encourages the roots to dig deeper. Only the five best bunches per vine are retained during green harvesting in August.

The Clos has practised organic viticulture since 2015, with 2018 being the first vintage to have been certified organic. It was also certified biodynamic in 2019, having introduced biodynamic practices in 2016.

Production tends to average 23-30 hectolitres per hectare (hl/ha). 2016 was the domaine’s largest crop since 1999, at 35 hl/ha. 2017 and 2018 both came in at 32 hl/ha and 2019 at 30 hl/ha. By comparison, 2020 was painfully below average, at a mere 19.7 hl/ha.

2021, generally regarded as a small crop, was back to a more reasonable 25 hl/ha.

This strategic plan of the sub-sectors within the Clos is based on criteria including soil composition (more or less limestone or marl, the source and quality of the plant material (massal selection or clones), type of pruning (Guyot or Cordon de Royat) and vine age. The colours denote the intended destination of the grapes from each plot.

THE CELLAR

“In 2021, this is really the classic Pinot we love.”

ALESSANDRO NOLI, NOVEMBER 2023

The new vat room was built following the purchase by Artémis Domaines and has been operational since the 2019 vintage. 15 oak vats of varying sizes, ranging from 20 to 40 hectolitres (hl), have replaced the old 50hl stainless steel vats. Made by the Taransaud cooperage, these enable greater winemaking precision and vinification on a plot-by-plot basis.

Whole bunch vinification has long been used at the Clos, the proportion varying in accordance with the vintage conditions. There are no plans to alter this, although a study with Bordeaux University was started in 2019 to determine the ideal percentage of whole bunches in each of the newly-identified plots.

In 2021, 55% whole bunches were used for Clos de Tart and 25% for Forge de Tart. The village wine, MoreySaint-Denis de Clos de Tart, which has been reserved for restaurants, was entirely destemmed.

A cold chamber was installed in the cellar in July 2021, enabling cold pre-fermentation maceration. Gentle extraction is key for Alessandro Noli, in his pursuit of elegance. One foulage (foot treading of the cap) was carried out in 2021, with no pigeage.

The individual cuvées are aged separately for around 18 months in oak. 65% new oak was used in 2021 for the grand vin and 45% new oak for La Forge. Blending takes place halfway through élevage.

THE 2021 GROWING SEASON

2021 was a cool, late vintage. The season began with a significant water deficit, with particularly dry weather from November until April.

Unseasonably warm conditions at the beginning of April kickstarted vegetative growth but this was stopped in its tracks by a brutal drop in temperatures accompanied by a snowy spell. After this cold snap, temperatures increased, but very slowly, so budburst only occurred around 20th April, which was two-weeks later than in 2020.

Weather conditions then continued to be cooler than normal, slowing down the development of the vines. Growth sped up significantly at the beginning of June, thanks to the return of seasonal temperatures and abundant May rainfall. The flowering process took place quickly and was completed in just one week, starting on 10th June: three weeks later than in 2020.

Summer remained cool and wet. Véraison was slow with only 75% of berries having changed colour by the end of August. Fortunately, the return of fine weather in late August and early September helped them reach optimal maturity by the time harvest was on the horizon.

Picking started on Monday 20th September, roughly a month later than in 2020. Harvest lasted for six days and took place in good conditions. Clos de Tart 2021 was bottled in summer 2023.

THE YEAR IN NUMBERS

Bud-burst 20th April (2020: 4th April / 2019: 2nd April)

Full Flowering 10th June (2020: 20th May / 2019: 6th June)

Harvest 20th - 26th September (2020: 24th - 28th August / 2019: 13th - 19th September)

Yield 19.7 hl/ha (2020: 19.7 hl/ha / 2019: 30 hl/ha)

Whole bunch fermentation: 55% for Clos de Tart and 25% for Forge de Tart (same as 2019)

New oak: 65% for Clos de Tart and 50% for Forge de Tart

Final alcohol: 13.5% abv

TASTING NOTES

CLOS DE TART, GRAND CRU MONOPOLE

Although it comes from one vineyard, Clos de Tart is a blended patchwork of old vine parcels. The oldest vines are over 100 years old; the average is over 60. Aromas of dark berries and minty, sappy spices, with a little smoky reduction and lifted bitter cherries. The palate is both pure and powerful, the fabulous immediacy of red berry fruit allowing full transparency of the intricate chalky terroir definition, all sustained by racy acidity and framed by wonderfully fine tannins. Salty minerality on the finish. As winemaker Alessandro Noli said, “You understand now why I say it’s my favourite!” 55% whole bunch fermentation, 65% new oak, 13.5% abv. This was bottled in July 2023, making for a 22 month élevage. Originally tasted in November 2022, then again, post-bottling, in November 2023.

Corney & Barrow Score 19

Recommended drinking from 2030 - 2045+

£3,800/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£1,275/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK

£2,750/Case of 1 jeroboam, in bond UK

LA FORGE DE TART, MOREY-SAINT-DENIS 1ER CRU

La Forge de Tart comes from around 20% of the total area of the Clos, specifically from three plots planted in 1999 (the eponymous ‘La Forge’), 2005 and 2011, and another two plots bordering Bonnes Mares. Dark, spicy aromas, with a creamy intensity. The palate is cool, darker-fruited than Clos de Tart itself and tightly packed on the entry. It opens onto a multi-faceted mid-palate of crystalline purity on which volume and flavour build — blackberries, dark cherries and wild strawberries, all lifted by driving, tensile acidity, this latter a wonderful facet of the fresh 2021 season. 25% whole bunch fermentation, 50% new oak, 13.5% abv. This was bottled in July 2023.

Corney & Barrow Score 18

Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2037

£1,165/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£400/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK

ALLOCATION PROCESS

To order, please call 020 7265 2430 (London) or 01875 321 921 (Edinburgh). Please bear in mind that:

• Clos de Tart’s and Corney & Barrow’s focus is on the private customer as a consumer, rather than as a speculator.

• The wines of Clos de Tart are bought on the clear understanding that they will be stored and delivered in the UK only.

• Should you wish to sell the wines in the future, do please offer Corney & Barrow first refusal.

• Priority will be given to Clos de Tart’s and Corney & Barrow’s best, most loyal and most regular customers.

Tasting Guide

Our tasting notes provide full details but, at your request, we have also introduced a clear and simple marking system. We hope these guidelines assist you in your selection.

Wines are scored out of 20. Customers seem to like it and it has the benefit of simplicity. We will often use a range of scores (e.g. 16.5 to 17) to indicate the potential to achieve a higher mark. When a ‘+’ is shown it adds further to that potential. Wines from lesser vintages will, inevitably, show a lower overall score.

Wines are judged, in a very broad sense, against their peers. Why? Well, you cannot easily compare a Ford with an Aston Martin, other than they are both cars and have wheels. It is not that different with wine.

A score is a summary only. The devil is in the detail, so please focus on the tasting notes and, as always, speak to our sales team.

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