Wine for sale: Clos de Tart

Situated at the heart of the Côte de Nuits, the Clos de Tart is one of the five Grand Crus from the commune of Morey Saint-Denis. A Burgundy appellation which has never been split up since it was created in 1141. Since 1932 the vast majority of the eight hectares of the Clos de Tart and its eponymous domain are a monopole belonging to the Pinault family. The average age of the vines here is 50 years and they are cultivated using integrated pest management with yields limited at 30hl/ha. The wine is aged in 100% new oak barrels for between 18 and 24 months. During the first half of the 20th century, the Clos wines, lacking a touch of richness and concentration, never quite managed to get the connoisseurs' full recognition. From 1980 considerable improvements in quality were noticed, particularly for the 1985, 1989 and 1990 vintages which were excellent. But it was not until Sylvain Pitiot became the manager in 1995 that the domain was given a new lease of life. Author of renowned books about Burgundy, and in particular an authoritative atlas of the region's vineyards, he enhanced the domain's image by producing some magnificently intense vintages that at last lived up to the Grand Cru classification! The domain, which practises sustainable agriculture, has recently taken another step forward: the vines are now organically cultivated (non certified).