Clos de Tart 2019

the 2019 clos de tart grand cru has turned out brilliantly. mingling notes of wild berries and cherries with hints of peonies, rose petal, orange rind, exotic spices and musk, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with a velvety attack that segues into a fleshy, textural mid-palate defined by depth and purity of fruit, concluding with a long and penetrating finish.

70% new wood. Purple black, with a light reduction on the nose, but a massive heart to it. Waves of fruit, red and black fighting it out, incredible intensity through the middle, a very good little touch of acidity at the back. Clos de Tart is never going to be a sensual wine though there is plenty of flesh on the bones. Perfectly judged ripeness here. Probably a bit more than 50% whole bunch has been used overall, but the decision is made for each individual cuvee. I retasted the 2019 having just tasted the 2018 wines from the estate, which showed the 2019 in a fresher light. The bouquet holds up really well and there is a terrific mineral crunch to finish. The red fruit starts to take the lead and the precision of this first class Clos de Tart was clear to see.

A much more floral-suffused nose reflects notes of essence of plum, cassis, black raspberry liqueur, herbal tea and discreet wood influence. There is excellent volume and mid-palate density to the sappy, refined and tautly muscular larger-scaled flavors that coat the palate on the lingering and firmer finish that is shaped by relatively fine-grained tannins. This compact and mildly warm effort needs to develop better overall depth, but everything seems to be in place such that it should be terrific in time.

The 2019 Clos de Tart Grand Cru is very promising indeed, wafting from the glass with notes of wild berries, peonies, rose hips, warm spices, sweet soil tones and musk. Full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's deep and concentrated, with lively acids, refined tannins and a long, perfumed finish. Matured in 70% new oak, this is a much more dynamic, classically proportioned and, indeed, soulful wine than its 2018 counterpart.