Revived: August 30, 2026 (Published: July 18, 2017)

When I think of my most memorable encounters in the wine world, René Barbier is among the first to pop into mind. I still reminisce about that serene afternoon at legendary Clos Mogador, Priorat.

In May 2017, my 5th time in this rugged hinterland of Catalunya, I spent an unforgettable day in Gratallops where the Clos Mogador winery is located.

Gratallops, despite its only 230 inhabitants, is the hotspot of Priorat and the village that put the region in the global limelight in the early nineties. Located on a scenic hilltop, Gratallops and the surrounding slopes are exposed to ruthless sun and strong winds.

As we pass Gratallops, the driver stops at a wooden gate. Amazing 360° views surround us. Flowers are in full bloom. It’s lovely to be in Priorat in May when this hot and arid wine region – where viticulture is threatened by global warming – is still green.

We enter the gate to a courtyard that is covered in vegetation. And there he stands, René Barbier (the III in the lineage). The man who came to this isolated, impoverished, overlooked region 40 years ago.

ONE OF THE PRIORAT PIONEERS

Barbier believed strongly in the potential of Priorat. His influence – along with visionary winemakers Álvaro Palacios, Carles Pastrana of Clos de l’Obac, Josep Lluís Pérez of Mas Martinet and Daphne Glorian of Clos Erasmus – on the rise of this region is unquestionable.

Born in Tarragona, Catalunya, into a French family with centuries-long roots in grape growing, René acquired his first vineyard in Gratallops in 1979. The first vintage, 1989, of his first wine, Clos Mogador, was released in 1991.

As we know, the rest is history. Gratallops became the epicentre of the Priorat revival. Priorat rose to prominence and reached the highest classification (DOCa, or DOQ in Catalan) in the Spanish wine classification system in 2006. So far, only Rioja and Priorat have been upgraded to this quality category.

I respect it that these five pioneers were the ones who insisted on demonstrating what Priorat was capable of long before the top classification, DOQ, entered the picture.

Upon our arrival at Clos Mogador, one thing becomes instantly clear. Just like his wines (as we soon get to note), René Barbier radiates peace and harmony. Soft-spoken. Twinkling eyes behind those glasses. And laugh lines that light up his face.

Although we don’t share a common language, thanks to my strong Italian, I understand a bit of Catalan. And we have our trip organiser with us to translate.

 STUNNING VINEYARDS

After shaking hands, we hop into René’s green van. Driving us around his vineyards, we marvel at the most picturesque terraced slopes I’ve ever seen. However, the road is so narrow and curvy that in certain spots just one wrong move by the driver could be fatal.

“This car is from the late 1970s, when it all began here.”

On these steep, terraced vineyards René grows red grapes such as Garnatxa, Carinyena (Carignan), Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.

“Look at those neat, beautiful rows of vines! They belong to my dear neighbour, Álvaro Palacios. Our vines, in turn, grow just like they want with grass, flowers and wild herbs between them. As you see, I adopted a more holistic approach to viticulture while Álvaro has focused more on individual vineyards.”

The beautiful aroma of wild fennel fills the air. René Barbier also grows fruit trees and flowers between his vines, “to bring more layers into my wines”. In the name of biodiversity, the fauna on Clos Mogador’s vineyards is rich as well.

As a result, all 24 hectares of Clos Mogador vineyards are certified organic and biodynamically farmed. Regarding the lunar calendar, René says:

“My 45-year-old son is better at understanding the biodiversity and the needs of our different plots. He knows better than me how to talk with the ecosystems. Hence, his role in vineyard work is crucial.”

FROM PRIORAT WITH LOVE

After walking on René’s and Isabelle‘s (his wife) vineyards, we enter their tiny cellar. All grapes are pressed with a 100-year-old press and vinified with wild yeasts in separate fermentation vessels.

“It depends on the vintage and grape batch at hand whether I choose to ferment in barrels, steel, concrete vats, eggs or amphoras.” 

Clos Mogador, just like his other red wine, Manyetes (100 % Carinyena; first released in 2000), is aged in French barriques or foudrès (bigger oak vats).

A small cellar room downstairs is reserved solely for white wines, of which Barbier makes approximately 7,000 bottles per year. First released in 2000, Nelin is a white wine he is really proud of.

Despite the language barrier, the atmosphere is wonderfully warm and René seems to be in a very good mood. Watching him set up our tasting glasses is the best possible reminder that good life is not about rushing.

A TASTING TO REMEMBER

We start with Manyetes 2014. It is 100 % Carinyena from extremely poor South-facing soils exposed to burning sun, where “80-year-old vines truly have to fight for survival”. Dark violet in colour, sophisticated nose of intense dark berries, hints of spices. Delightfully structured and fresh taste continues into a lingering finish.

Clos Mogador 2014 (49 % Garnatxa, 25 % Carinyena, 16 % Syrah, 10 % Cabernet Sauvignon) is equally violet in colour. Along with charming dark berries, the aromas lean towards floral and graphite tones. Great acid line and superbly smooth yet nicely gripping tannins. So harmonic despite its youth.

Since DOQ Priorat is renowned as one of the greatest red wine regions in the world, it’s pretty surprising that the most memorable bottle turns out to be white Nelin 2005! Never before have I tasted a Spanish white wine like it.

Beautiful light amber colour, with something familiar on the nose reminding me of champagnes from the Aube (a region I fervently love). A saline and honeyed taste oozes rich tropical fruit and Bourgogne-like butter and nuts. Seamless, fantastic structure. Perfectly controlled oxidation.

Mostly Garnatxa Blanca (85 %), the rest is Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Pedro Ximénez and a rare local variety, Escanyevella. In the blend, there is also some Pinot Noir that is vinified like white grapes.

HISTORY IN A BOTTLE

After René Barbier’s Priorat gems we get to taste his Espectacle 2014 from the surrounding DO Montsant. Made from grapes from 120-year-old vines, this 100 % Garnatxa displays aromas of red berries, herbs, spices and a hint of animal. The mouthfeel is velvety and keeps growing towards the end.

Suddenly René disappears in the cellar and comes back with Clos Mogador 2003 in hand.

“I had only six bottles of this left, but I definitely want to open one today.”

There is a saying that in great hands the wines tend to “look” like their maker. With René Barbier, this is 100 % true. His wines convey a serene, warm, nearly ethereal feeling – just like the man behind them. Even though 2003 was an extremely hot and dry year, Clos Mogador 2003 feels so featherlight that I almost question whether we are tasting a red.

Contrary to common marketing claims about using “only the best, carefully selected grapes”, in Barbier’s wines you truly taste healthy grapes.

WHAT A LOVELY SURPRISE!

When we are about to leave, I ask René Barbier if he could sell me one bottle as a souvenir. He vanishes to the cellar and returns with Clos Mogador 2014, refusing to charge for it. Our perfect visit ends in the most perfect way.

Therefore, I promise him I’ll patient and store the bottle for a while. And when it’s about time, serving it will be easy with the tips from Mogador’s website:

“This is the most complex of our wines so decant if it is a young vintage for between 30 min and 2 hours. From 5 to 8 years, decant for between 4 and 5 hours. With Clos Mogador vintages of 20 years or more, please consult a knowledgeable sommelier. Or write to us at the winery!”

Utter devotion shines in everything that René does. His quiet passion, combined with breathtaking landscapes, makes me want to return to Clos Mogador as soon as I become fluent in French.

To be honest – I don’t want to wait that long.

 

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UPDATE (2026): Clos Mogador is open to the public three days a week, by reservation & payment. Given the winery visit prices I’ve seen in many regions, 50 € / person feels more than adequate for a 3-hour visit that includes 5 bottles to taste + takes you to these magnificent vineyards. René Barbier himself, now 76, retired in 2022. His sons, René Barbier Meyer and Christian Barbier Meyer, are in charge of the winery. Isabelle, unfortunately, left us in 2020.

 

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My huge thanks go to ICEX (The Spanish Institute on Foreign Trade) who arranged this excellent wine trip in May 2017, covering several top wineries of Priorat and Montsant.