Tasted in Morey with Jacques Devauges, 14 December, 2017.
Clos de Tart
7 Route des Grands Crus
21220 Morey St.Denis
Tel: +33 3 80 34 30 91
www.clos-de-tart.com
I started with a cheeky question – ‘So, what’s new Jacques?‘ Jacques responded positively: “Well, we are now part of the Artemis stable of ‘domaines of excellence’ – it should be a great synergy for us. We will be certified Bio here in 2018 and biodynamic in 2019, and that sits perfectly within their philosophy.”
Normal service is now resumed:
Jacques on 2017:
“2017 is a good vintage and another early vintage. Since 2003 we say we now have an early vintage every 4 years. Flowering occurred in very good conditions and all went very fast. It was a good harvest and whilst we brought in only 32 hl/ha that’s quite high for us – but still a fine base for quality.”
Jacques on 2016:
“2016 was very hard and we did have a hint of frost, but just behind the buildings where 90% was lost. But in the context of the Clos only it made only a small difference. But then the pressure from mildew was very aggressive, I’ve never seen the whole branch attacked like that before. It was very hard also because it was our second vintage in Bio/Biodynamics, but we decided to continue – it was probably anyway too late to use something systemic! There was a nice end to the summer and that saved us. Starting to harvest the 28 September – quite late – all the fruit came in at 13.2°-13.6°. We had 35 hl/ha – so more than in 2017 – the last vintage with so much was 1999. The average yield for the last 10 years is 25 hl/ha and our target is 30!”
The ‘wines’…
I note a wider range of coopers in use than I’ve seen in the cellar before – Jacques really trying to marry certain cooperage styles to the different expressions within the Clos…
The best wines I’ve ever tasted at the domaine – the first I tasted here was the 2001, though I missed the epic 2005 here. Well done Jacques – a flying start for Artemis!
Starting with the young vines that will become La Forge du Tart – vines less than 20 years old
Oh yes, great fruit on the nose here – wide, supple, great freshness. Volume and energy to the fine depth of flavour. This is really great. This is the best young vine Forge I ever tasted.
Cuvée #2
Bottom-north, next to Lambrays. 60 year-old average vine age. The last wine with no wc, this has 70%.
Really a striking nose, much in common with DRC this morning with the forwardness of wc inflected aroma. Ooh, deep, a suggestion of reduction, super-fine tannin – really great structure here – almost a little Clos de la Roche style with a hint more padding. Wow!
Cuvée #3
Bottom-south next to Bonnes-Mares
A little tighter nose, fresh and red fruited – good precision. Ooh, so fresh, so open, the tannin has a hint more dryness, but this is so open and detailed – fabulous. Floral finishing. So great, so different!
Cuvée #4
Top-south. A little warmer here as there is a little more slope towards the sun, this is mature 5 days before the bottom of the slope.
Nice freshness, here with a more floral aspect and subtle oak. In the mouth a suggestion of gas. Presenting like the previous wine but a little less open though with similar energy and width. Oaked, a little more Morey in style – like a Rue de Vergy or Monts Luisants but with more drive! Really very Morey.
“It’s not just for putting monopole on the label, the assembly is always the best” says Jacques.
Open, silky, dark red fruit – such a fine nose, and unlike every other constituent part. Good volume, more penetrating flavour, a weight in the centre, but slowly melting over the palate. Concentrated but giving. Some of the parts show more energy but this has quite enough for a grand vin – bravo! The best young Clos de Tart I’ve tasted since the 2001.