Mommessin
Clos de Tart Grand Cru
Clos de Tart Grand Cru, France
2020
Vintage
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Where it is, October 2026
Too Young: holding until the full drinking arc opens in 2028.
The ‘20 Clos de Tart Grand Cru.
A warm, accessible expression of Burgundy's most distinctive monopole, offering genuine pleasure in a more immediately approachable vintage register.
Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) drinking timeline
Storage and bottle condition can shift the experience.
The peak window sits inside the broader full drinking arc.
Tasting note
Mommessin's Clos de Tart Grand Cru holds one of the most singular positions in all of Burgundy: a monopole of 7.53 hectares farmed by a single owner on the Morey-Saint-Denis slope, producing a wine that for nearly a century under Mommessin's stewardship was a reliable and distinctly character-driven expression of this unique place. The nose is accessible and fruit-forward with less of the closed, brooding intensity of cooler vintages, and the palate reflects this with a round, smooth texture and tannins that are already beginning to integrate after six years in bottle. mineral, earthy, and distinctly Morey, with a depth and seriousness that the warm vintage has not erased.
The 2020 vintage
The 2020 vintage in Clos de Tart and Morey-Saint-Denis broadly was a warm, generous year that produced wines of notable accessibility and earlier approachability than the site's most structured cold-vintage expressions. A hot, dry growing season culminated in harvest at full physiological ripeness, producing wines with deep color, rounded tannins, and ripe, plum-forward fruit. While the 2020 lacks the severity of a year like 2015 or 2010, it compensates with warmth, charm, and a more immediate drinking pleasure that makes this an unusual and enjoyable Clos de Tart expression in the context of the site's history.
About Mommessin
Mommessin was the long-time steward of the Clos de Tart monopole from 1932 until its sale to Francois Pinault in 2017. Under Mommessin, the wine was produced with traditional Burgundy methods and a consistent, reliable house style that drew on the monopole's unique position. The 2020 is one of the final vintages under extended Mommessin-era practices before Pinault's ownership began to reshape the estate. For collectors of Mommessin-era Clos de Tart, the 2020 represents one of the last examples of this significant chapter in the wine's history.
From the cellar: pair with
Roasted duck leg confit with lentils and smoked bacon
The wine's earthy, iron-mineral notes and dark fruit character pair excellently with duck confit and its earthy accompaniments.
Grilled lamb loin with herbs and pommes sarladaises
The wine's round tannins and warm fruit generosity are well-suited to herb-scented lamb preparations with the richness of potato cooked in duck fat.
Aged Brillat-Savarin or triple-cream Brie at room temperature
Creamy, rich cheese softens the wine's mineral edge and allows its fruit character to express itself more freely.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 14-16C / 57-61F
- Decanting
- Decant one hour before serving. The wine opens willingly with aeration and is approachable without the extended wait that cooler vintages would require.
- Cellar Storage
- 12-13C / 54-55F
More from Clos de Tart Grand Cru, France
Frequently Asked
What is a monopole in Burgundy?
A monopole is a vineyard or appellation in which a single producer owns all the land. Clos de Tart is one of Burgundy's handful of monopoles, meaning every bottle with this label comes from the same 7.53 hectares under a single owner's farming and winemaking.
What happened to Mommessin's ownership?
Francois Pinault acquired the Clos de Tart from Mommessin in 2017. The 2020 vintage was made during the transition period and represents one of the later Mommessin-influenced expressions of this historic site.
When should I drink this?
The canonical CAI full drinking arc is 2028-2055. Within that arc, the peak window is 2032-2045. The full arc is the broader period the wine may drink well; the peak window is when it is most likely to show its best balance. Storage, fill level, cork condition, and preference can shift the decision. Taste before adding more air or holding the rest.
Is 2020 a great vintage for Clos de Tart?
It is an excellent and approachable vintage rather than a monument. The warm growing season produced a more immediately pleasurable wine than the great cold vintages like 2010 or 2015, which are more austere and age-demanding. For drinking in the near to medium term, 2020 is a very good choice.