“Whoever has witnessed the sparkle in René Barbier’s eyes when he talks about his wines may just begin to understand the profundity of his Clos Mogador. Only a vintner, who pays careful attention to detail and is ambitious in the vineyard, is capable of creating such complexity and rich nuances in his wines. This is clearly understood when one is in the possession of a glass of aged Clos Mogador.
Vintages such as 1998 and 2001 are drinking extremely well at the moment. These wines, which were initially unbelievably big and compact, were hardly approachable when they were released. Today, they are ripe, elegant and overwhelm the passionate drinker with every sip. Tasting the 2008 Clos Mogador for the first time leaves me with this exact same impression.
How will it taste ten years from now? Its crimson colour is nearly opaque and its high viscosity shows the visual intensity of this wine. Smokiness, dark berries, spice – giving an impression of compactness before we even swirl the glass. With the help of some air, the berries seem to ripen. We’ve got blueberry, black cassis and pure black cherries. Added to this are hints of chocolate, liquorice, white pepper, cloves, lots of cinnamon and some gingerbread. Flowers and undergrowth get stronger while some sweetness reminds one of Crema Catalana. There is some oak, but it’s well integrated. In the mouth, the wine is complex, medium in alcohol and the tannin structure is massive, but not harsh. The aromas switch between dark chocolate, dark berries and intense spices with a long and vibrant play of aroma and spice.
One is aware of the wine’s acidity, which is intense in combination with the spice. After a few years of ageing this wine will be well balanced and will provide you with joy over several years.
Dear René, once again we can be thankful for such a great masterpiece of Priorat wine. The pleasure you and your team are giving us with the Clos Mogador 2008 makes it worth all the effort!”
For the first time in our country, Clos Mogador, one of the prestigious wines made by René Barbier in the D.O.Ca. Priorat, was awarded the prestigious qualification of «Vi de Finca».
“Vi de Finca” is an additional qualification to the D.O.Ca. Priorat certification, which already recognizes this wine. Clos Mogador was the first wine to receive this prestigious qualification in the whole of Spain. It certifies that all grapes used to make this wine over at least the last five years have been sourced from the Clos Mogador single vineyard (five years which can be documented and traced), and at the same time is awarded to a wine which has received international acclaim over at least the last ten years.
2008
Certificat Vi de Finca
