Domaine du Clos de Tart Wine

Clos de Tart: Burgundy's Legendary Grand Cru Monopole

Few wines in Burgundy carry the mystique of Clos de Tart.

Located in Morey-Saint-Denis in the Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart is one of Burgundy's rare Grand Cru monopoles — a single walled vineyard entirely owned and farmed by one domaine for centuries. That complete control over farming and winemaking has helped make Clos de Tart one of the region's most consistent, age-worthy, and collectible wines.

Since its 2017 acquisition by François Pinault — owner of Château Latour and Eisele Vineyard — global demand and pricing for both new releases and mature back vintages have accelerated significantly. Critics and collectors alike have responded: Clos de Tart is now firmly established among Burgundy's most sought-after Grand Cru addresses.

Stock is extremely limited and moves quickly. Shop current Clos de Tart availability, browse our broader Burgundy collection.

Why Clos de Tart Is One of Burgundy's Most Collectible Grand Crus

Collectors pursue Clos de Tart because no other wine in Morey-Saint-Denis offers the same combination of historical pedigree, monopole consistency, and sheer aging potential.

The wine's defining characteristics include:

• One of Burgundy's few remaining true Grand Cru monopoles
• Complete vineyard control enabling obsessive parcel-by-parcel management
• Naturally low yields from old-vine Pinot Noir on limestone-rich soils
• A stylistic bridge between the darker structure of Gevrey-Chambertin and the lifted perfume of Chambolle-Musigny
• Extraordinary longevity with top vintages evolving gracefully for decades

Young vintages reveal black cherry, raspberry, rose petals, crushed stone, and earthy minerality. With time, mature bottles develop deeply savory layers of mushroom, sous bois, leather, truffle, and garrigue — a complexity that very few Burgundies can match.

For many serious collectors, Clos de Tart sits among Burgundy's most complete and long-lived Grand Crus.

Estate History

The history of Clos de Tart stretches back nearly 900 years.

Originally established by Cistercian nuns in the 12th century, the vineyard remarkably survived the fragmentation that reshaped much of Burgundy after the French Revolution — remaining one of the few true Grand Cru monopoles in the region to this day.

For much of the modern era, the domaine was owned by the Mommessin family, who preserved the vineyard's identity through decades of Burgundian change. Quality rose dramatically under Sylvain Pitiot, who took over management in the 1990s and transformed the estate through lower yields, massale selection, meticulous vineyard work, and precision-focused winemaking. Many collectors consider the wines produced during Pitiot's tenure among the greatest ever made at Clos de Tart.

In 2017, the domaine was acquired by François Pinault, bringing Clos de Tart into one of the world's most prestigious fine wine portfolios alongside Château Latour and Eisele Vineyard. The acquisition brought renewed investment, heightened global attention, and a sharp increase in both release prices and secondary market values.

Terroir & Vineyard Philosophy

At the heart of Clos de Tart lies one of Burgundy's great and most historically intact terroirs.

The vineyard spans nearly 19 acres in Morey-Saint-Denis, encompassing a complex mosaic of soils, elevations, and vine ages managed entirely by a single owner — a level of consistency virtually impossible to achieve in Burgundy's typically fragmented Grand Cru landscape.

Key terroir characteristics include:

• Limestone-rich soils that drive mineral precision and structure
• Ideal southeast exposure for balanced ripening
• Old-vine Pinot Noir with deep root systems
• Monopole farming enabling parcel-by-parcel precision across the entire vineyard
• Naturally low yields that concentrate energy without sacrificing freshness

Clos de Tart occupies a fascinating stylistic position in the Côte de Nuits — combining the darker structure and power associated with Gevrey-Chambertin to the north with the floral lift and perfume more typical of Chambolle-Musigny to the south. The result is a wine with unusual completeness and dimension.

Winemaking Philosophy

Winemaking at Clos de Tart centers on one principle: preserve terroir transparency while building the structure necessary for long-term evolution.

The approach prioritizes meticulous vineyard sorting to ensure only the best fruit enters the cellar, low yields that deliver Grand Cru concentration without heaviness, balanced extraction that builds structure without stripping freshness, restrained oak influence that keeps the wine's mineral core front and center, and a long-term perspective — every decision in the cellar is made with a 30–50 year drinking window in mind.

The resulting wines combine Grand Cru power with unusual finesse and lift. They can feel demanding and even closed in youth, but the underlying energy and precision ensure extraordinary evolution with patience.

Signature Wine

Clos de Tart Grand Cru

Clos de Tart Grand Cru is the domaine's singular bottling and one of Burgundy's most iconic collector wines. As a true monopole, every bottle carries the complete expression of this historic terroir — no fragmentation, no variation in farming philosophy, just one producer's uncompromised vision of a vineyard nearly nine centuries in the making.

Powerful yet seamless, the wine combines concentration, mineral precision, silky texture, and extraordinary longevity. The 2002 vintage has become especially revered among collectors for its youthful energy and remarkable balance more than two decades after harvest — a testament to the wine's exceptional aging trajectory.

Clos de Tart Vintage Guide

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a Grand Cru monopole?

A monopole is a vineyard owned entirely by a single producer, giving that producer complete control over every farming and winemaking decision. In Burgundy — where most Grand Crus are divided among dozens of owners — this is extraordinarily rare. Clos de Tart is one of only a handful of true Grand Cru monopoles in the entire region, which contributes directly to its consistency, identity, and collector appeal.

What does Clos de Tart taste like?

Young vintages typically show black cherry, raspberry, rose petals, crushed stone, spice, and earthy minerality with a powerful but seamless structure. With age, the wines develop deeply complex secondary characteristics — mushroom, sous bois, leather, truffle, and garrigue — that place them among the most multidimensional expressions in all of Burgundy. The house style sits between the darker power of Gevrey-Chambertin and the floral lift of Chambolle-Musigny.

How does Clos de Tart compare to other Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Crus?

Morey-Saint-Denis is home to several outstanding Grand Crus, but Clos de Tart stands apart for its monopole status, historical depth, and aging potential. Where other Morey Grand Crus such as Clos Saint-Denis and Clos de la Roche can be exceptional, they are divided among multiple producers with varying approaches. Clos de Tart's single-owner consistency gives it a coherence and collectibility that makes direct comparison difficult — it occupies its own category.

How long does Clos de Tart age?

Top vintages of Clos de Tart are built for multi-decade cellaring. The 2002 remains strikingly youthful more than 20 years on, and structured vintages like 2005, 2010, and 2019 carry drinking windows extending into the 2060s and 2070s. Proper cellar conditions — consistent cool temperature, humidity, and darkness — are essential for realizing that potential.

Is Clos de Tart a good investment wine?

Clos de Tart has become an increasingly serious consideration for collector-investors, driven by monopole rarity, the prestige of the Pinault ownership, rising global demand, and a strong secondary market. Mature back vintages are increasingly difficult to source outside of auction, and prices have risen substantially since 2017. As with any fine wine investment, condition, provenance, and storage history are critical factors.

Where can I buy Clos de Tart?

Weekend Wine carries current and back-vintage Clos de Tart, including Grand Cru bottlings from multiple vintages. Availability is extremely limited — shop current stock above or contact us directly for specific vintage and format requests.