Clos Mogador, Gratallops Estate, Priorat, Spain, 2022

Overview of the Wine
In the 19th century, the Barbier family owned some 1,500 hectares (3,707 acres) of vines in an estate called Le Martinet. This estate extended into three appellations: Plan de Dieu, Rasteau and Gigondas all of which are situated in the Vaucluse region of France – more or less between Violès and Sablet. In her famous novel (later televised), Elisabeth Barbier used the Château de Martinet as a setting for her plot using the nickname Mogador.

Léon Barbier, our great-grandfather, pioneered the bottling of his first wine. In 1880, phylloxera ravaged the vineyards in France so he was obliged to source the much needed grapes from Spain. This was the origin of the negotiations for the winery founded in Tarragona (Catalonia), which was registered under his son’s name, René Barbier. In the 1940s, Leon II and René II took the initiative of bottling the first wines from the Priorat as well as other quality wines from Catalonia. The occupation of France in the 1940s also forced them to reconsider their commercial strategies. Improving the Spanish wines by introducing oenological technology became the family’s main object. With the influx of tourism in the region during the 1960s, the family in charge of René Barbier SA, became associated with like-minded people in order to achieve these objectives.

However, mass tourism was not an ideal environment in which to create wines of this level. The early death of René II at 50 led to this project being more or less abandoned and the society absorbed by a company with a somewhat doubtful reputation. With the introduction of democracy in Spain this shady enterprise was dissolved. But, due to accumulated debts, the family was unable to buy the company back. At this point, the company was acquired by Freixenet, in whose hands it still remains today.

Leaving that difficult period in the past, we now turn to a new and exciting venture created by the present generation! In 1979, René III (son of René II), his wife Isabelle Meyer and their children René IV, Céline and later on Christian and Andersen, acquired a few hectares of Grenache near to Gratallops in the DO Priorat. This was the birth of Clos Mogador. Some years later, in 2000, a dream held close to their hearts came true – the creation of a white wine called Nelin. Round about the same time, enticed by an old property of Cariñena vines, the Manyetes label was created.

Organic.

Winemaker
Rene Barbier Meyer

Grape/ Blend
49% Garnacha, 29% Carignan, 16% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin
Priorat, Spain 

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
René’s desire over the years has been to vinify fresher wines, with a much 
lesser impact of oak, with more prominence of Grenache and Carignan, all 
so that we can enjoy a wine that is purer, concentrated and subtle at the 
same time.

The fruit is fresh, the aromatic Mediterranean herbs refined. The palate, on the other hand, is deep, with a satiny texture and a measured grip. A rarity that thrills from the start, just a prelude to the magnitude it will reach.

97 Points - Wine Advocate
Their single-vineyard 2022 Clos Mogador, they flagship wine, was produced with a blend of grapes, mostly Garnacha and Cariñena but also some Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon (less and less, as they are regrafting most of them). It fermented with 40% full clusters and matured in 2,000- and 2,500-liter oak foudres; some are old barriques, to avoid having too much new oak, and some lots finish aging in concrete to complete some 20 months. They have implemented some changes, moving toward larger volumes, abandoning the barriques and moving to foudre (with the low volumes in 2024, the wine will be only in foudre). It has a very Mediterranean nose with plenty of dry hay and straw notes, the classical wet slate notes, very Priorat too, and it has a round palate and very fine, chalky tannins. It's serious and harmonious and feels relaxed, without any excess. It comes in at 14% alcohol with 5.4 grams of acidity and a bone-dry finish. None of the 2022s showed excess heat or ripeness. The alcohol is contained and integrated, and the wines are balanced and harmonious but with a more Mediterranean profile. 35,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2024.

95 Points - James Suckling
The oak spices are still a bit prominent, but that doesn’t hinder its expression of complexity and impressive depth. Graphite, roasted spices and a panoply of dried herbs and sweet cherries. It is plump, almost full-bodied and layered, with firm, fine tannins and a lengthy finish. Drink from 2025.

Product size: 750ml