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 a serene afternoon in Priorat – at Clos Mogador.

On my 5th trip to this rugged backland of Catalunya, we got to spend an unforgettable spring day in Gratallops, the hotspot of Priorat. With less than 250 inhabitants, this famous village is located on a scenic hill – and exposed to ruthless sun and strong winds.

As we pass Gratallops, the road takes us higher until 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 with vegetation. There he stands, René Barbier (the III in the lineage). The man who came to this isolated, impoverished, overlooked region around 40 years ago. As we know, the rest is history.

One of the Priorat Pioneers

René Barbier’s influence – along with visionary Priorat wineries of Alvaro Palacios, Clos de l’Obac, Mas Martinet and Clos Erasmus – on the rise of Priorat is unquestionable.

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

Upon our arrival one thing becomes instantly clear. Like his wines (as we soon get to note), René Barbier radiates peace and harmony. Soft-spoken in his conduct, twinkling eyes behind the glasses and laugh lines that lit up his face.

Although we don’t share a common language, thanks to my strong Italian, I understand some words of Catalan. And luckily we have a tour guide with us to translate his stories.

 Stunning vineyards

After shaking hands, we hop into René’s bright green hippie car that looks like it could be straight from the Ashbury Heights. Driving us around his vineyards, we marvel at the most picturesque terraced slopes I have ever seen. However, the road is so narrow and curvy that on certain spots just one mistake from the driver could be fatal.

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

On these steep, terraced vineyards he 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, Alvaro Palaciós. Our vines, in turn, grow just like they want with grass, flowers and wild herbs between them.”

Beautiful wild fennel aromas fill 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 plantations is rich as well.

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

“My 45 years old son is much better in understanding the biodiversity, the character and the needs of our different plots. He knows better than me how to talk with the ecosystems. His role in vineyard work is crucial.”

Tasting memories from Priorat

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 launched in 2000), is aged in French barriques or foudrès (bigger oak vats). Small cellar room downstairs is reserved solely for white wines which René Barbier makes approximately 7,000 bottles per year. Seeing the daylight in 2000, Nelin is a wine he is really proud of.

Despite the language barrier, the atmosphere is wonderfully warm and René seems to be on utterly good mood. Watching him setting up our tasting glasses is the best possible reminder that good life is not about hurry.

Short Tasting Notes

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

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

DOQ Priorat is renowned as one of the greatest red wine regions in the world. Thus 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 this. Beautiful light amber colour, and something familiar on the nose reminding me of champagnes from the Aube (a region I love). 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 remaining 15 percent is a blend of 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 taste his Espectacle 2014 from surrounding DO Montsant. Made of grapes from 120 years 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 Rene Barbiér 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 feather-light that I almost question whether we are tasting a red.

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

Nice surprises

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 anything. Our perfect visit ends in the most perfect way.

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

 

---

HUGE thanks go to ICEX (The Spanish Institute on Foreign Trade) who arranged this excellent wine trip (in May 2017) covering several top wineries in Priorat.