2011 Clos de Tart Grand Cru Burgundy

BH 94 A very fresh, restrained and attractively ripe nose of spiced plum, earth, violets, and rose petal. There is excellent richness and volume to the gorgeously textured, concentrated and mouth coating medium weight plus flavors that display outstanding intensity on the very firm, persistent and beautifully well-balanced finish.

WA 93 The 2011 Clos de Tart was bottled three months prior to my visit in early June. Cropped at the beginning of September over four or five days at 28 hectoliters per hectare, Sylvain described the 2011 as a precocious vintage that will be drinkable before others. It has a wonderful, refined, beguilingly pure bouquet of fresh strawberry, black plum and dried rose petals that is more floral than fruit-driven. The palate is nicely structured: open and inviting, the tannins slightly grainy with a finish that is unusually light on its feet and fanning out with crisp strawberry, tart red cherry cherries and a pinch of white pepper for good measure. “C’est un vin de plaisir,” as Sylvain so aptly described it. Drink 2015-2030.