Editors notes
"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." - Luis Gutiérrez
Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon bide their time in carefully selected French oak barrels and only reappear when the moment is right, full of promise and hidden joy. This is by no means an industrial process. The few bottles of Clos Mogador are made with affection, attentively following in the ‘Grands Crus’ traditional artisan methods. Clos Mogador is a blend of 49% de garnaxas, 25% cariñena, 16% syrah, 10% cabernet sauvignon.
Details
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Red Fruits
- Redcurrant
- Smoky
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Palate
- Earthy
- Jammy
- Red Fruits
Food Pairings
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Red Meat
Critic Scores & reviews
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Luis Gutierrez
96"I can’t find a review of the 2019 yet- here is what was said of the 2018…‘The white 2018 Nelin is their interpretation of a white from Priorat; it's a Garnacha Blanca-based blend that fermented with indigenous yeasts and some skin contact in a very slow fermentation and a long aging where they use all different materials—oak, concrete, clay and stainless steel. They are now introducing some local varieties like Trepat Blanc and Cartoixá (the local name of Xarello), and they are slowly removing the French grape varieties—the 2018 doesn't have any Pinot Noir. They only used 2,200-liter oak foudres, and there are no more barrels. It has a moderate 13.5% alcohol and good freshness. The wine is more and more austere, with a notable absence of fruit; it's spicy and herbal, with notes of chamomile and some aromatic herbs. The palate is very balanced, with a stony and austere sensation, finishing dry. It's lively, vibrant and alive, with expressive flavors and finishing almost salty, with a bitter twist. It has a lot of finesse and nuance. It should develop nicely in bottle. This wine hasn't stopped changing in the last few years, and it surprises me more each vintage. This has to be the finest vintage to date. 7,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2020. They have planted a lot of local white grapes that will come into the blend in the future"
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
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- Variety Grenache Blend
- Vintage 2016
- Brand Clos Mogador
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Red
- Alcohol Percentage 14.5% Alcohol
Clos Mogador Priorat 2016-
Luis Gutierrez98 points
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Josh Raynolds94 points
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Decanter92 points
$199.00
Current auction
All current auctions for this wine & any different vintages.
Locations
Spain
Spain is definitely one of the new-world players to keep an eye on. It is the land of old-vines, american oak and sherry! The main varieties grown in Spain are Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache) in the reds, and Airén, Viura/Macabeo, Verdejo and Albarino for the whites. Lesser grown whites include Palomino. Other reds successfully cultivated include Carignan, Mourvedre and Mencia.
Although Spain can be quite a warm country, the vast majority of vineyards are 600m or so above sea level, so the cooler nights allow the grapes to develop full colour and acidity.
Rioja is undoubtedly the long-standing king of all the Spanish wine regions, where Tempranillo and Garnacha are commonly blended. However more recently many more regions have come to the forefront of interest. Ribera Del Duero is producing excellent Tempranillo blends rivalling those coming out of Rioja. Jerez in the South is the home of the fortified wine Sherry.
Spanish wine laws created the Denominación de Origen (DO) system in 1932 and were later revised in 1970. These include:
- Denominación de Origen Calificada (formerly called DOCa) Priorat calls itself DOQ for Denominació d'Origen Qualificada in Catalan and has a track record of consistent quality and is meant to be a step above DO level.
- Denominación de Origen (DO)- Used for mainstream-quality wine regions. Nearly two thirds of the total vineyard area in Spain is within the boundaries of a DO region.
- Vino de Calidad Producido en Región Determinada (VCPRD) - This is somewhat of a stepping stone to DO status.
- Vinos de la Tierra (VdIT) - A level similar to France's vin de pays system, where the regions are much larger.
- Vino de Mesa (VdM)- The equivalent of 'table wines' from France or Italy
Catalonia
Catalonia is a region in the northeast of Spain, known for its warm Mediterranean climate and exceptional wines. The vineyards of Catalonia are mostly located south of Barcelona and are spread across the coastal plain and hills to the west. The region comprises ten denominated wine regions that concentrate on producing Mediterranean red grape varieties like Garnacha and Carignan (known as Samsó or Cariñena) and white varieties like Garnacha Blanca and Xarelᐧlo. Other grape varieties like Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Trepat are also grown throughout the region. White varieties Parellada and Macabeo (known as Viura in Rioja) are used for Spain's premium sparkling wine, Cava.
Catalonian wines are known for their high alcohol content, full-bodied nature, and powerful minerality, owing to the chalky, granite, and slate soils on which the grapes are grown. These unique soils impart a distinct flavor profile to the wines, making them stand out among other wines. Apart from Garnacha and Carignan, the region has also seen an increase in plantings of international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which are used to make high-quality wines. The region is also known for producing unique white wines, thanks to the use of local varieties like Xarelᐧlo and Garnacha Blanca, which impart a distinct flavor to the wines. Overall, Catalonia is a region that produces exceptional wines, thanks to its unique climate, soils, and grape varieties.
Priorat
Priorat is a small wine region in Catalonia in Spain’s northeast corner. The region is known for its esteemed, intensely flavoured red wines. This mountainside area enjoys long, hot, and dry summers with little annual rainfall. These are ideal grapegrowing conditions for the region’s primary – and late-ripening – grapes: Garnacha (or Grenache) and Cariñena (or Carignan). Almost all Priorat red wines contain some measure of these two grapes. In the best expressions of Priorat wines, expect aromas of red and black fruit, including redcurrant, red plum, black plum, black cherry, and blackcurrant. Toasty notes from new French oak are also often present. On the palate, you’ll find some minerality owing to the local licorella red-slate and mica soils, as well as saline and spice, such as cardamom and cinnamon. The wines are typically deep-coloured, with high tannin levels, moderate acidity, and high alcohol levels (usually 14% or higher ABV).
About the brand Clos Mogador
Rene Barbier is the winemaker behind Clos Mogador and it is he who has conferred worldwide recognition to Priorat. He has enabled this region on the wild hills above Tarragona (near the northeast coast of Spain) to become one of the most prestigious vineyards in Spain.
Thanks to this Frenchman (originally from the Cotes-du-Rhone), who settled here in the 1980s, Priorat has now become one of the country’s most renowned wine regions. Housed in an old property that he bought at Gratallops, he created his own vineyard in this region known for its shale land. About 15 years ago, this village comprised of around one hundred inhabitants, now there are more than a thousand.
Rene Barbier studied in Burgundy, then at the University of Bordeaux before numerous stints across France, notably at Chateau Petrus! In 1989, he harvested his first grapes, which came after ten years of hard work - during which he combined his work selling wine during the week with his passion of developing his vineyards and building his house on the weekends. In order to produce the best wine, Barbier employs new technologies while also building and maintaining his diverse wine knowledge. Attention to detail is taken to the extreme with his estate, promoting biodiversity by planting fruit trees, almond trees, olive trees and flowers between the vines. During harvest, he determines the exact timing for pruning each plant. Even better the harvested grapes are sorted by hand, one by one, before moving them into a vertical manual press, more than a century old that was recovered from an old cellar!
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