Clos Mogador, 'Nelin', Priorat Blanco, 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
Garnacha blanca and Macabeo base, plus pansal, picapoll blanc, cartoixá 
and others (trepat blanc, carinyena blanca, PX, escanyavelles).

Origin
Priorat, Spain 

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Nelin is the result of two parallel souls -the balance between the feminine and the masculine side in its youth culminating in the true expression of Priorat at its best.

The Grenache is evocative of the parched hills  on mineral slate where the spicy quince flavours  are in evidence. The Macabeu has adapted beautifully to our climate, planted close to small streams, which impart delicate orange flower aromas. The Escanyavelles lends its solid structure to the wine and ensures a lengthy future to the wine  due to its tannins and acidity. At the same time, this little stranger reminds us of the longstanding association of the Barbier family with France!

96 Points - Wine Advocate 
All the wines go through malolactic in barrel, including the white 2022 Nelin, a blend that has been changing over time. In 2022, it was produced exclusively with local varieties, Garnacha Blanca, Macabeu, Xarel·lo, Cariñena Blanca, Picapoll Blanco, Trepat Blanco, PX and Escanyavelles from four small organic vineyards. The juice from the pressing of the full clusters fermented with indigenous yeasts in 1,200-liter oak foudres, with a slow and long fermentation that takes between three and nine months. It matured in foudre for one year and then was transferred to stainless steel for six to eight more months. Despite the dry conditions and the heat waves, it came after the 2021, and the vines had enough reserves, so the wines are fresher than expected. It's a Mediterranean blend with 14% alcohol and 5.3 grams of acidity, clean and harmonious. The north-facing plots behaved very well, and the varieties can take the conditions without a problem, so the wine doesn't seem affected at all. In fact, it's quite fresh, medium-bodied and very tasty, serious and characterful, a triumph over the extreme conditions of the year. It's a white with aging potential. 9,000 bottles were filled in April 2024.

94 Points - James Suckling
Flinty nose of baked citrus, white sesame and touches of nori, yellow apples and pine nuts. Some dried Mediterranean spices and herbs, too. Quite supple yet fresh, with medium acidity and a flavorful center. Medium- to full-bodied with a lengthy finish. Quite unique and complex. Delicious now, but can hold.

Product size: 750ml