DESCRIPTION
The 2003 Clos de Tart, tasted at the estate and then again from an acquired bottle to witness the effect of air on it, is an outstanding, potentially exceptional wine. That being said, I can’t help but wonder how magnificent it would have been if it had not been acidified. It is dark ruby/purple-colored and bursts from the glass with black cherries, blackberries, and roasting spices. Intensely powerful, this wine boasts superb concentration and depth. A mouth-coating, full-bodied, thick effort, it slathers the palate with black fruits. This sappy, chunky wine possesses an extremely long finish with firm, hard tannin. Air was kind to this 2003, bringing elegance to its muscular nature, and slightly sweetening its tannin. Projected maturity: 2010-2025+. Wine Advocate 94 points
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Mar/Apr 05
($199) From the young vines, which will be bottled as Morey-Saint-Denis Laforge premier cru: Wild, sexy aromas of black raspberry, pepper and spices. Superripe, concentrated and chewy, if a bit aggressive and unrefined. A bit warm on the back end. From the base of the clos: Bright red-ruby. Soil-inflected aromas of strawberry, minerals and gunflint. Seductively suave and fine-grained; wonderfully ripe and broad without being excessively sweet. Finishes very long and ripe, with smooth tannins. These vines are planted north-south and produced a decent crop level in 2003. From the middle of the clos (not yet racked): Bright ruby-red. More fruit-driven aromas of black raspberry and minerals. Superconcentrated and sweet, but with a compelling juiciness and firm mineral underpinning. This conveys an impression of great ripeness without heaviness. Palate-staining, superripe finish throws off notes of smoke, minerals, licorice, meat and roasted herbs. From further up the hill: Bright ruby-red. Cooler, more reserved aromas of blackberry syrup, licorice and spice. Sweet but firm and spicy, with a juicy, minerally character not unlike the previous sample. A classic sample, with a very long finish showing torrefaction notes of tar, chocolate and licorice. From vines at the top of the hill: Saturated ruby-red. Knockout nose combines black fruits, minerals, gunflint, smoked meat and mint. Dense, thick, superripe and hugely rich but youthfully closed today. Spreads out impressively and lingers on the uncompromisingly dry finish, which features substantial ripe tannins. An assemblage of all but the first lot: Dee p ruby-red. Blackberry, minerals, flint, tar, bitter chocolate and smoke; in this sample I picked up the sexy Tara nsaud barrels, which comprise 15% of the blend. Dense, superrich and velvety, but with tangy dark berries and good mineral lift giving life to the mid-palate. Finishes with explosive length and big, slightly aggressive tannins. This should last a long time but will also be accessible young owing to its extraordinary richness of texture. 91-94 points
