Clos de Tart: Burgundy’s Historic Grand Cru Monopole (Best Wines 2024)

Clos de Tart is a revered Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) and a Grand Cru Monopole in Burgundy. 

It is one of the oldest wine estates in the region and has been producing splendid red wines for over nine centuries! These Pinot Noir wines are famed for their unique personalities and exotic flavors.

Take a tour of the iconic Clos de Tart estate and explore its winemaking practices, wine styles, and some of the best Clos de Tart wines to invest in 2024.

We’ll also show you a hassle-free way to buy fine collectible wines.

An Introduction To Clos de Tart

What’s unique about the Clos de Tart vineyard is that it is wholly owned by Domaine Clos de Tart, and so it’s called a Monopole. 

It is located in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis in Côte de Nuits, neighboring Chambolle Musigny.

It’s the largest amongst five Grand Cru Monopoles of Morey-St-Denis, including Bonnes Mares, Clos de la Roche, Clos des Lambrays, and Clos Saint-Denis.

This renowned appellation is famous for its exceptional red wines made from the signature red wine grape of Burgundy, Pinot Noir.

Today, the estate produces about 22,000 bottles a year, comprising three different wine styles:

• Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole
• La Forge de Tart Premier Cru
• Morey-Saint-Denis

Clos de Tart is currently managed by the Artemis group, a company owned by Francois Pinault that also owns Chateau Latour and Eisele Vineyard.  

Interestingly, the monopole has only had four owners since its foundation, and it has never been divided.

Clos de Tart: A 9-Century Long Winemaking Tale

In 1141, a group of Cistercian nuns from the nearby Cistercian congregation, Notre Dame de Tart, founded this brilliant Burgundy vineyard.

After the French Revolution, the Marey-Monge family took over the wine estate in 1791. Under their ownership, Clos de Tart was bestowed the title of “Tête de Cuvée” (a vineyard producing the best wine of the village) - the only one in Morey-St-Denis to be awarded this honor.

The economic crises of the 1900s forced the Marey-Monge family to sell the wine estate to the Mommessin family. Thanks to them, Clos de Tart became a Grand Cru vineyard in 1939.

In 1996, they appointed Sylvain Pitiot, a talented winemaker who successfully ran the vineyard for nearly 20 years.

In 2018, Francois Pinault of the Artemis Group acquired the estate from the Mommessin family at a rumored cost of around 30 million euros per hectare. 

(The Artemis Group is the leading shareholder of several wine estates like Château Latour in Bordeaux, Château Grillet in Northern Rhône, Domaine d’Eugenie in Vosne Romanee, and Eisele Vineyard Estate in Napa Valley.)

Let’s take a look at the remarkable wines that are born out of the distinctive terroir of the vineyard.

A Look At The Clos de Tart Vineyard

The massive Clos de Tart vineyard spans over 7.53 hectares in Cote d’Or, bordering Bonnes Mares in the south and Clos des Lambrays in the north.

The wines are great expressions of the exceptional terroir of the walled Clos de Tart vineyard and the high-quality Pinot Noir vine plantings called Pinots Fins.

The soils of this Cote d’Or estate are mainly limestone and clay and are often compared with the limestone-rich soils of Clos de la Roche.

However, the soil composition varies subtly within each of the twelve subplots, giving the Pinot Noir grapes complex spicy notes. 

Besides the unique terroir of the Clos de Tart vineyard, the Pinot Noir vines also benefit from these viticulture practices:

• Most vineyard tasks at the estate are carried out manually, and each subplot is harvested separately.
• The vines are planted in the north-south direction to help prevent soil erosion and give the grapes better exposure to sunlight for optimal ripeness.
• Clos de Tart limits its yield to 23-30 hectoliters per hectare through green pruning and de-budding, producing concentrated grapes.
• The vineyard has been renovated to adopt biodynamic viticulture, like using herbal sprays to help in the healthy development of vines.

The Winemaking Practices Of Clos de Tart

Here’s how a delicious Clos de Tart wine is produced:

• The grapes are picked at the perfect phenolic maturity.
• The number of whole bunches used in fermentation differs depending on the fruit’s ripeness and the limestone content of the subplot.
• The grapes from different subplots are vinified separately in specialized wooden vats. Each vat is fitted with an independent temperature-control system that allows the winemaker to monitor fermentation temperatures at all times.
• Fermentation is carried out with 100% wild yeasts, and for malolactic fermentation, the winemaker uses natural lactic bacteria.
• The wines are aged in new oak barrels for around 18-24 months. For the first nine months, the batches are aged separately, and then they are aged as blended wine.

What are the noteworthy wines produced at Clos de Tart?

3 Brilliant Clos de Tart Wine Styles

The Clos de Tart estate creates three brilliant wine styles.

A. Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole

The signature red wine of the estate, Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole, is powerful, elegant, and aromatic.

It is made from the fruit of 60-year-old vine plantings of the estate’s Grand Cru vineyard.

Matured in new oak, this wine has a complex nose of fresh red and black fruit with hints of wet limestone. On the palate, it exhibits exquisite balance with a gorgeous savoury finish.

B. La Forge de Tart Premier Cru

The second wine of the estate, La Forge de Tart, is produced from the fruit of 20-year-old vines. 

This Premier Cru wine unveils fresh red and dark berry fruit with spicy and floral notes (like pressed violets and rose petal) on the nose. This wine shows a depth of flavor with soft tannin, crisp acidity, and a precise finish on the palate.

C. Morey-Saint-Denis

The third wine, Morey-Saint-Denis, is a village wine created from the best fruit of young vines. It expresses the terroir of Clos de Tart with fruity aromas and smooth freshness on the palate.

The wine is made from the fruit of Pinot Noir vines that are too young to produce the Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole.

Serving Clos de Tart Wines And Food Pairings

La Forge de Tart Premier Cru and Morey-Saint-Denis wines are best served at 12oC to 13°C (53.6oF to 55.4°F). 

Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole should be served at 15oC to 16°C (59oF to 60.8°F.)

Clos de Tart wines pair extremely well with duck, goose, glazed poultry, rib steak, and braised lamb.

They also complement cheeses with strong flavors and soft centers.

10 Best Clos de Tart Wines To Buy In 2024 (With Tasting Notes, Prices)

Here are ten of our favorite picks from Clos de Tart:

1. 1945 Domaine du Clos de Tart - Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole

This beautiful vintage offers a bouquet of aromatic spices, cherries, and cassis. On the palate, it has supple intensity and an elegant finish.

Price of a 1945 Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits, France: $ 4,121

2. 1962 Domaine du Clos de Tart - Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole

The 1962 vintage offers a delicate nose of earth, leather, and deep black fruit aromas. Its velvety texture adds elegance to its gorgeous savoury finish. 

Price of a 1962 Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits, France: $ 3,271

3. 1942 Domaine du Clos de Tart - Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole

This fantastic 1942 vintage offers a vivacious palate of red fruit with a hint of orange zest. The finish has beautiful traces of nectarine and strawberry laced with cedar.

Price of a 1942 Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits, France: $ 2,995

4. 1978 Domaine du Clos de Tart - Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole

This beautiful vintage has a sophisticated character with an elegant aroma. The wine has a subtle hint of wet limestone and offers a combination of tobacco, fruit, and earth on the palate.

Price of a 1978 Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits, France: $ 2,378

5. 1943 Domaine du Clos de Tart - Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole

The elegant 1943 vintage emanates a divine aroma of cherry, vanilla, raspberry, and licorice. The wine develops spicy nuances with age.

Price of a 1943 Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits, France: $ 2,274

6. 2019 Domaine du Clos de Tart - La Forge de Tart

One of the recent vintages, the 2019 La Forge de Tart, is loved by every wine enthusiast.

It unveils an aroma of fresh red fruit with hints of spice and rose petal. It’s silky on the palate with an exquisite finish.

Price of a 2019 La Forge de Tart, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru, France: $271

7. 2016 Domaine du Clos de Tart - La Forge de Tart

This remarkable wine reveals fruity aromas on the nose and is intense on the palate. It has a fresh and crisp character.

Price of a 2016 La Forge de Tart, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru, France: $240

8. 2013 Domaine du Clos de Tart - Morey-Saint-Denis

This wine offers a bouquet of red berries, dark cherry, and dark berry fruit. It has a perfect harmony of low tannin and crisp acidity and notes of pressed violets. It is also smooth on the palate.

Price of a 2013 Morey-Saint-Denis, Burgundy, France: $705

9. 2010 Domaine du Clos de Tart - Morey-Saint-Denis

This exquisite wine offers a bouquet of fruity flavors with hints of spice and fine floral aromas. It’s intense on the palate with an elegant character.

Price of a 2010 Morey-Saint-Denis, Burgundy, France: $656

10. Domaine du Clos de Tart - Marc de Bourgogne

This rare vintage offers soft notes of raisin, cherry, vanilla, nuts, and dried leaves on the nose. It has an intense mouthfeel with a mild fruity character.

Price of a Marc de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France: $395

What Makes Clos de Tart A Great Investment Wine?

Clos de Tart Grand Cru monopole wines are among the most prized wines in Burgundy. You’d find some of its vintages on the wishlist of every wine enthusiast.

The wines can age for up to 25 years, and their flavor and value improve with time.

Furthermore, several wine critics have given Clos de Tart wines high ratings (especially the recent vintages.)

Neal Martin, an acclaimed wine critic, awarded the 2016 vintage with a score of 97-99, calling it “one of the finest wines from the Cote d'Or in 2016”.

The 2002 vintage of this Grand Cru Monopole has shown a price appreciation of more than 200% in the past 10 years - a considerable growth compared to other Burgundy estates.

Given it’s Grand Cru and Monopole status, and the general growth in demand for Burgundy wines across the globe, this estate shows a brilliant potential for growth.

So, if you want to add an investment-worthy wine to your collection, you cannot go wrong with Clos de Tart.

But before you buy it, you need to ensure you get an authentic bottle, and arrange for it’s shipping and storage yourself.

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Add A Fine Clos de Tart to Your Collection

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