Clos de TartBurgundy, France
One of Burgundy's Great Historic Monopoles
Clos de Tart is one of the most historically significant and individually compelling estates in all of Burgundy, producing a single wine from a single Grand Cru vineyard that it owns in its entirety: the 7.53-hectare Clos de Tart, the only monopole Grand Cru in Morey-Saint-Denis and one of only a handful of true monopole Grand Crus in the entire Cote de Nuits. The vineyard's history reaches back to the twelfth century, when it was farmed by Cistercian nuns of the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Tart, giving it one of the longest continuous records of wine production of any site in Burgundy.
The estate was acquired in 2017 by François Pinault's Artemis Domaines, whose portfolio also includes Château Latour and several other leading Burgundy properties. Under this ownership, with significant investment in both vineyard and cellar, Clos de Tart is producing wines of increasing precision, depth and definition that represent the full potential of this remarkable site.
Estate at a Glance
Clos de Tart is based in Morey-Saint-Denis, in the Cote de Nuits, Burgundy. The estate is owned by Artemis Domaines and covers the entirety of the 7.53-hectare Clos de Tart Grand Cru, producing a single Grand Cru red wine from Pinot Noir. A small quantity of second wine is also produced under La Forge de Tart.
Estate History
The Clos de Tart's origins lie in a donation of land to the Cistercian nuns of Notre-Dame de Tart in 1141, establishing one of the oldest continuously documented wine-producing estates in Burgundy. The Cistercian tradition of meticulous record-keeping and painstaking vineyard management laid the foundations of a site whose quality has been recognised across many centuries of production.
The vineyard passed through several hands following the French Revolution, when monastic properties were seized and sold, and was eventually acquired by the Mommessin family, who held it for nearly a century before the sale to Artemis Domaines in 2017. During the Mommessin years, the estate produced wines of genuine quality and collector interest, though the critical consensus was that the vineyard was capable of more than it was consistently delivering.
The Pinault acquisition, with the investment and winemaking expertise of Artemis Domaines applied to a site of quite extraordinary historical pedigree, has produced a step-change in quality that has been clear and consistent across the vintages produced since 2017. The wines are now regarded among the finest expressions of Morey-Saint-Denis and are attracting the serious collector attention that the vineyard's history and terroir have always deserved.
Why Clos de Tart is Different
The complete monopole ownership of a Grand Cru vineyard is one of the rarest circumstances in Burgundy, and Clos de Tart's monopole carries with it a historical resonance that most Burgundy estates cannot match. Only a handful of Grand Cru vineyards are farmed in their entirety by a single producer: La Romanée, La Romanée-Conti and La Tâche in Vosne-Romanée, Musigny Blanc at Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, and Clos de Tart in Morey-Saint-Denis among the most significant. In each case, the monopole structure means that only one estate produces the wine and collectors can only source it from one place.
The historical dimension adds a further layer of significance. A vineyard that has been producing wine continuously since the twelfth century carries a depth of accumulated evidence about its terroir that no younger site can possess. The Cistercian nuns who farmed Clos de Tart selected and maintained this specific parcel of land over centuries because they recognised its exceptional quality. The modern winemaker working in the vineyard today is building on nearly nine hundred years of continuous observation.
Under Artemis Domaines ownership, the estate has also benefited from the connections and standards of a group that manages Château Latour, giving Clos de Tart access to a level of winemaking intelligence and resource that had not previously been applied to this remarkable site.
Vineyard Holdings
The Clos de Tart Grand Cru is the sole vineyard of the estate, covering 7.53 hectares on the middle slope of the Morey-Saint-Denis hillside. The vineyard is divided into a series of parcels of varying soil composition and vine age, giving the winemaking team the opportunity to vinify individual parcels separately and assemble the grand vin from the finest selections, with the balance going into the second wine, La Forge de Tart.
The soils within the Clos are predominantly limestone and marl, producing wines of genuine mineral depth, structural precision and ageing potential. The aspect is east-facing, providing excellent exposure to the morning sun and encouraging slow, even ripening whilst preserving natural acidity and aromatic freshness. Old vines, which constitute a significant proportion of the planted vineyard, contribute additional complexity and concentration to the wines.
Winemaking Philosophy
Under Artemis Domaines, the winemaking at Clos de Tart has evolved toward greater precision and natural expression. Vineyard management is increasingly organic, yields are carefully controlled and the approach in the cellar prioritises the transparency of terroir expression. A proportion of whole-cluster fermentation is used to contribute aromatic complexity and textural refinement. New oak is used judiciously, calibrated to support rather than dominate the wine's natural character.
The second wine, La Forge de Tart, is produced from younger vines and the lots that do not meet the standard for the grand vin, allowing the team to maintain an exacting selection for the flagship wine without wasting the fruit from this exceptional site.
Signature Wines
La Forge de Tart
The second wine of the estate, produced from younger vines and less-favoured parcels within the Clos de Tart. It provides an excellent and genuinely accessible introduction to the character of the vineyard at a price below the grand vin, developing well over eight to twelve years and sharing the aromatic precision and mineral character of the flagship wine.
Clos de Tart Grand Cru
The sole grand vin of the estate and one of the most historically and terroir-significant wines produced in Morey-Saint-Denis. The Clos de Tart combines the mineral depth and structural complexity of this exceptional monopole site with the increasingly precise and natural winemaking approach developed under Artemis Domaines ownership, producing a wine of genuine longevity and historical resonance that develops over fifteen to twenty-five years into something of authentic Grand Cru depth and complexity.
Why Buy Clos de Tart?
Clos de Tart offers collectors access to one of Burgundy's rarest and most historically resonant monopole Grand Crus, produced from a single vineyard with nearly nine hundred years of continuous winemaking history under the investment and winemaking expertise of Artemis Domaines. The combination of exceptional terroir, genuine historical significance and a clearly improving quality trajectory under current ownership makes Clos de Tart one of the most compelling and intellectually rewarding purchases available in the Cote de Nuits.
Every bottle of Clos de Tart offered by Fine Wine Library is sourced with guaranteed provenance and stored In Bond, preserving perfect condition whilst remaining excise duty free until delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Clos de Tart?
Clos de Tart has been owned by Artemis Domaines, the wine investment vehicle of François Pinault, since 2017. The Artemis portfolio also includes Château Latour, Domaine d'Eugenie and Domaine de l'Arlot.
What is a monopole Grand Cru?
A monopole Grand Cru is a vineyard of Grand Cru classification that is owned and farmed in its entirety by a single producer. In Burgundy, where the vineyard system is characterised by fragmented ownership across many producers, true monopoles are extremely rare and carry a specific historical and commercial significance.
How old is Clos de Tart?
The vineyard was donated to the Cistercian nuns of Notre-Dame de Tart in 1141, giving it a documented history of wine production of nearly nine centuries, one of the longest continuous records of any wine estate in Burgundy.
What is La Forge de Tart?
La Forge de Tart is the second wine of the estate, produced from younger vines and parcels within the Clos de Tart that do not meet the standard for the grand vin. It provides a more accessible introduction to the character of the vineyard at a lower price point.
Why buy Clos de Tart wines?
A monopole Grand Cru with nearly nine hundred years of continuous winemaking history, exceptional terroir and a clearly improving quality trajectory under the investment and expertise of Artemis Domaines.
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