2006 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Grand Cru

The 2006 Clos de Tart Grand Cru was picked September 27–30 at 26hl/ha, at 13.7° alcohol, and offers a stark contrast to the 2005. It has long been a much broodier proposition, showing more black fruit than red, and almost Bordeaux-like in terms of its light cedar tincture, although here there is less of the licorice element. The tight-fisted, introspective palate demands coaxing from the glass. There is plenty of sinew here, though I wonder whether that comes from Nature or from extended skin maceration – I suspect the latter. This is a bold and demanding Clos des Tart, though I am less enthusiastic than in my previous notes, since the tannins seem to override the terroir more than I originally expected. Tasted at a private Clos de Tart dinner in London.

Slightly cheesy nose but massive density. Drying tannins on the end. Pretty dry finish. Not there yet! Drying end. (JR)

Tasted at the pre-dinner vertical to mark Sylvain Pitiot's retirement from the domaine, the 2006 Clos de Tart Grand Cru has a deep, intense nose with plenty of dark berry fruit (blackberry and boysenberry), mixed with cedar and licorice scents. Saturnine at first, it responds to aeration, opening up with minimal encouragement and gaining more and more intensity. The palate is what you might call a bold and brassy style of Clos de Tart - upfront fruit, muscular, forthright tannin and enormous depth on the finish that fans out gloriously. Think of a blast of trumpets in the Albert Hall and you've got this wine. Immense!