Clos Mogador Priorat 2019
René Barbier led the original Priorat movement, proving that exciting and unique fine wines could be made in this forgotten corner of Spanish Catalonia. At Clos Mogador, he nursed back to life abandoned old vineyards planted on steep schist hillsides, where the ancient Grenache and Carignan vines had learnt to struggle against the aridity by sending roots 25 metres down in search of water and nutrients, yielding less than 10 hectolitres per hectare of intense, concentrated and supercomplex juice. The estate became firmly established as the number one address in the appellation, with a bulging press book to back this claim. But Clos Mogador is much more, a thriving ecosystem and a celebration of biodiversity, a blueprint for living "terroir."
Robert Parker once said of Clos Mogador that the wines are "stunning examples of what Spain can produce but so rarely does". This is more true now than ever, because compared with the large numbers of ambitious "alto espreccion" Spanish wines that have come on stream these last few years, Mogador has not just concentration and complexity, but also energy, vitality and a genuine soul.
This very particular vintage, with an atypical profile, throughout the Priorat without any other comparable year, is summed up by its freshness, its balance with good acidity. We immediately find the aromas of the garrigue of the estate, the vapor of the rain falling on the hot slate, the bitter black olives dear to the whole family. Being at the beginning of its life, the primary aromas, especially on red and black fruits, are the most present. Combining intensity and finesse, this vintage is a freeze-frame of the biotope of the plots that surround Clos Mogador. The styles of vinification which evolve on more flexible maturing, in foudres, make the wine more accessible, more digestible for tasting when young.
By its depth and finesse, this wine calls for gastronomy. Throughout its life, it will marry perfectly with the animals and wild fruits that one finds around the Domaine, in particular game. These are the oppositional accords, these magnificent accords between the raw side of the meat and the sensation of freshness of the wine on the palate, this minerality that makes you salivate. At first, we prefer wild poultry, like a pigeon in a crust of aromatic herbs. Then, if you let this nectar evolve, game accompanied by black olives or melanosporum truffle will make a perfect match.
Our Aunt Elisabeth Barbier, a gifted writer with a rich imagination, described in her book “The people of Mogador”, the activities, conflicts, love stories and disappointments experienced by this dynasty of wine growers.
In 1979, descendants of her family discovered a unique corner in a fairytale region where the vine flourishes. This area, known as the Priorat , is one of the oldest wine growing regions in the world. It takes its name from the 12th century “Priory”, the first Carthusian monastery ever built in Spain.
Yet the true origins of these vineyards can be traced back to Roman times. Today, the vines in this exceptional Priorat microclimate cover less than 2,000 hectares (just under 5,000 acres.) Clos Mogador is a vast amphitheatre of crumbling slate. The vines are surrounded by mountains up to 1.200 metres high and the vineyard’s lower extremes are lovingly caressed by the Siurana River. This river runs below a small hamlet of the same name that has a rich history, inspiring in the past some of the most daring Moorish legends.
This exceptional setting is capable of capturing the heart of any visitor. Words cannot describe one’s emotions to find oneself in a vineyard whose fruit depends on the altitude, exposure to the sun and influence of morning dews. All of Nature’s miracles combine to give birth to a wine, which goes by the name of Clos Mogador.
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. - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 pts
