Grandioser Priorat

Clos Mogador 2018

Clos Mogador - Rene Barbier

Priorat, Spanien

Wine Advocate (Parker/Gutierrez)

98/100

The flagship 2018 Clos Mogador is a blend of 45% Garnacha, 29% Cariñena, 16% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon that fermented with natural yeasts and showcases their philosophy—slow fermentations with long maceration and long aging. It matured for 18 months in 2,000-liter oak vats and 30% in 300-liter oak barrels. There was a lot of rain in 2018, and the vineyards were extremely happy and everything seemed very easy; in fact, René Barbier told me it was perhaps too easy... It's an atypical year: It has a gentle profile, and the wines are not as concentrated as those from 2013 (the last rainy year before 2018)—they are more elegant and nuanced. This should develop beautifully in bottle. 27,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020.

Things never stop at Clos Mogador. In 2020, they have bought the vineyard next to the original one that is now a Vi de Vinya Clasificada. Their son Christian leads the team in the vineyards, working with biodynamics and regenerative agriculture to achieve natural balance. The French grape varieties are now playing a less important role (especially in Clos Mogador and Nelin), and they are refocusing on the local grapes. They have some 40 hectares of vineyards in the village of Gratallops and produce around 40,000 bottles.

Drink 2021 - 2030