Mommessin
Clos de Tart Grand Cru
Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Cru
2017
Vintage
Varietal
Pinot Noir
ABV
Where it is, June 2026
At Peak: in the heart of its drinking window (2020-2039).
In 2026, the Mommessin Clos de Tart Grand Cru 2017 is at peak, entering its sixth year of prime drinking. The 2017 occupies a historically unique position: it is the final vintage from Mommessin's 85-year ownership of Clos de Tart, one of Burgundy's great Grand Cru monopoles, before the estate's acquisition by François Pinault's Artemis Domaines in early 2018. This vintage marker gives the 2017 historical significance beyond its sensory profile - it is the last wine to carry the character of Mommessin's 85-year interpretation of Clos de Tart's monopole terroir in Morey-Saint-Denis. The 2017 Burgundy vintage was marked by severe spring frosts that dramatically reduced yields across the Côte d'Or, concentrating what remained to unusual precision and intensity. Six years into peak in 2026, the very detailed, delineated bouquet that defined the 2017 on release has deepened toward a more complex secondary register while retaining its essential precision: black fruit and sous-bois are now joined by developing tobacco and spice complexity. The killer acidity and beautifully balanced structure that made the 2017 immediately compelling are now at their most articulate expression. With 13 years remaining in the peak window through 2039, the 2017 Clos de Tart rewards both immediate opening and patient cellaring.
The ‘17 Clos de Tart Grand Cru.
The final vintage from Mommessin's 85-year stewardship of this great Burgundy monopole before its acquisition by Artemis Domaines, the Clos de Tart 2017 is six years into peak - a wine of historical significance carrying the frost-reduced precision of the last vintage under an era-defining ownership.
Drinking window
Tasting note
Deep ruby with the vivid clarity and precise definition that the frost-reduced 2017 yields produced across the finest Côte de Nuits Grand Crus. The nose is a masterclass in delineation: a very detailed bouquet of black fruit and sous-bois that the Clos de Tart monopole site consistently delivers, joined by tobacco, clove, and bay leaf complexity that speaks to both the site's character and the 2017 vintage's precision. Marine tincture and hints of black olive add an unusual savory dimension that is distinctly Clos de Tart rather than a generic Morey-Saint-Denis character. Six years of bottle age have added a layer of developing secondary complexity without softening the fundamental precision that makes this wine so delineated. On the palate the entry is beautifully balanced with what the nose rightly promises - killer acidity providing a structural backbone built from the frost-year's naturally concentrated, high-acid fruit, giving the 2017 remarkable length and definition. Pure black cherry and bilberry dominate the mid-palate with a sappy, mineral-precise freshness that the Clos de Tart monopole terroir produces consistently. A historically significant final vintage from Mommessin's stewardship of this great address.
The 2017 vintage
The 2017 Burgundy vintage was shaped by a catastrophic spring frost event in late April that struck the Côte d'Or with temperatures dropping well below freezing during critical bud-break. Yields across many Côte de Nuits appellations were reduced by 30 to 50 percent or more in the most severely affected parcels, with some estates reporting total losses in individual plots. The frost-reduced crop concentrated the remaining fruit to unusual levels of precision and acidity, and the growing season that followed the frost was warm and dry enough to bring the surviving vines to full and even ripeness. The resulting wines across the Côte de Nuits are praised by critics for their precision, tension, and vibrancy - wines of intense focus rather than the hedonistic density of warmer, more abundant years. For Clos de Tart in Morey-Saint-Denis, the frost-reduced 2017 yields amplified the monopole site's naturally delineated, precise character to produce a wine of exceptional definition and mineral intensity. The 2017 is also historically significant as the final vintage produced under Mommessin's ownership before the estate's acquisition by Artemis Domaines in early 2018.
About Mommessin
Mommessin acquired Clos de Tart in 1932 and held the estate for 85 years, making it one of the longest single-ownership periods in Burgundy's history for a Grand Cru monopole. Under winemaker Jacques Devauges, the estate developed a distinctive house style for Clos de Tart that emphasized the monopole site's natural delineation and sous-bois character over the opulence that some warmer-vintage monopoles pursue. Mommessin's approach involved long whole-cluster fermentation in open-top wooden vats, extended maceration to extract the Clos de Tart terroir's distinctive mineral and savory character, and aging in a proportion of new and used French oak calibrated to support the site's natural precision without overwhelming it. The 2017 was the final vintage under Mommessin's direction before the estate was sold to François Pinault's Artemis Domaines in early 2018. This makes the 2017 the last wine to carry 85 years of Mommessin's interpretation of this great Burgundy monopole - a designation that adds historical weight to what is already a wine of considerable quality and precision.
From the cellar: pair with
Roasted Pigeon with Sous-Bois Butter and Root Vegetable Puree
The wine's sous-bois and tobacco aromatics find a direct counterpart in the preparation while the killer acidity and pure black cherry character cut through the rich roasted pigeon with precision.
Duck Breast with Black Cherry Reduction and Bay Leaf
The wine's pure black cherry mid-palate and bay leaf aromatic complexity align directly with the preparation; the monopole site's marine tincture and bilberry notes add a savory dimension that extends through the rich duck.
Aged Comte with Black Olive Tapenade and Toasted Walnut
The wine's hints of black olive and marine tincture find deliberate counterparts in the tapenade while the aged Comte's crystalline depth handles the wine's killer acidity; walnut bridges the tobacco and sous-bois bouquet.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 58-62F (14-17C)
- Decanting
- Decant 45 to 60 minutes in 2026. The 2017 Clos de Tart is six years into peak and still primarily a wine of vibrant primary and early-secondary complexity. A 45 to 60 minute decant will lift the detailed black fruit, sous-bois, tobacco, and bay leaf aromatics to full expression while preserving the killer acidity and precision that define this wine. Avoid extended 2+ hour decanting; the 2017's defining character is its delineation and freshness, which extended aeration can soften. Serve at 58-62F.
- Cellar Storage
- 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, on its side in a vibration-free environment.
The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.
More from Morey-Saint-Denis, Burgundy, France
Frequently Asked
When is the best time to drink the Mommessin Clos de Tart Grand Cru 2017?
In 2026 this wine is at peak, entering its sixth year of prime drinking, with 13 years of optimal enjoyment remaining through 2039. Six years into peak is the early-to-mid window of the 2017 Clos de Tart, and the wine's killer acidity and delineated precision suggest it will continue developing well into the 2030s. Those who appreciate the pure black cherry and sous-bois precision of early-peak Burgundy should open now; those who prefer fuller secondary development should hold through 2030-2033. See [Burgundy wines](/wines/region/burgundy) for context on the frost-reduced 2017 vintage.
Should I decant the 2017 Clos de Tart before serving?
Decant 45 to 60 minutes in 2026. The 2017 Clos de Tart is six years into peak and still primarily a wine of vibrant primary and early-secondary complexity. A 45 to 60 minute decant will lift the detailed black fruit, sous-bois, tobacco, and bay leaf aromatics to full expression while preserving the killer acidity and precision that define this wine. Avoid extended 2+ hour decanting; the 2017's defining character is its delineation and freshness, which extended aeration can soften. Serve at 58-62F.
Why is the 2017 Clos de Tart historically significant?
The 2017 Clos de Tart is the final vintage produced under Mommessin's ownership of this great Burgundy monopole. Mommessin acquired Clos de Tart in 1932 and held it for 85 years before selling to François Pinault's Artemis Domaines in early 2018. The 2017 is therefore the last wine to carry Mommessin winemaker Jacques Devauges's interpretation of the Clos de Tart terroir - the endpoint of an 85-year stewardship that developed a distinctive style around the monopole's sous-bois precision and marine tincture character. See [Pinot Noir wines](/wines/varietal/pinot-noir) for broader Burgundy Grand Cru context.
What makes Clos de Tart distinctive among Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Crus?
Clos de Tart is one of only five Grand Cru monopoles in Burgundy's Côte d'Or - a single 7.5-hectare walled enclosure entirely owned by one producer, giving complete control over viticulture and winemaking without the plot fragmentation that characterizes most Grand Crus. The Clos de Tart terroir produces a distinctive sous-bois and savory precision - including the marine tincture and black olive hints in the 2017 - that distinguishes it from the more generously fruited character of neighboring Grand Crus. Compare with [robert-groffier/chambertin-clos-de-beze-grand-cru/2019](/wines/robert-groffier/chambertin-clos-de-beze-grand-cru/2019) for a Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru comparison.
How long can I cellar the 2017 Mommessin Clos de Tart?
The 2017 has a peak window running through 2039, with hard decline not expected until 2047. In 2026 the wine has 13 years of optimal drinking remaining. The frost-reduced 2017 vintage's naturally high acidity and concentrated, precisely structured fruit give the Clos de Tart excellent aging reserves - the killer acidity that defines this wine on the palate is the structural backbone that supports two more decades of evolution. See [domaine-armand-rousseau/charmes-chambertin-grand-cru/2017](/wines/domaine-armand-rousseau/charmes-chambertin-grand-cru/2017) for another 2017 Grand Cru from the same frost-year vintage.