Clos Mogador - René Barbier, winemaker from Priorat Montsant

René Barbier: The Visionary Behind Priorat's Renaissance

A Legacy of Tradition and Modernity

Because he was able - after continuous work of at least 30 years - to reconcile long and old traditions with ultimate modernity, Rene Barbier is the winemaker 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 Cotes-du-Rhone, who settled here in the 1980s, Priorat is today, alongside Ribera del Duero, one of the country’s most visible wine regions.

The Elite Wines of Clos Mogador

His wines have joined the elite group of Vega Sicilia, Pingus, Mas La Plana (high-end Cabernet Sauvignon from Miguel Torres), whose international recognition is very strong!

Housed in an old property that he bought at Gratallops, he created his own vineyard: “Clos Mogador”, in this region known for its shale land. About 15 years ago, this village comprised around one hundred inhabitants; now there are more than a thousand.

Rene Barbier studied in Burgundy and then at the University of Bordeaux before undertaking numerous apprenticeships across France—most notably at Chateau Petrus!

In 1989, he harvested his first grapes after ten years of hard work—during which he combined selling wine during weekdays with developing his vineyards and building his house on weekends. To produce exceptional wine, Barbier employs cutting-edge techniques while paying extreme attention to detail: promoting biodiversity by planting fruit trees and flowers between vines. During harvest time, each plant's pruning timing is meticulously determined. Even better: harvested grains are sorted by hand before being moved into a vertical manual press over a century old! Other winemakers may consider him an alien but that doesn’t deter him; he's committed to distinguishing himself through traditional methods.

An Act of Love for Winemaking

Making wine in this region is truly an act born out of love. Manual labor yields low production levels due to steep slopes often terraced with shale soil where deep roots search for water during dry summers. The Siruana River crosses diagonally through this area fed by mountain streams giving green hues to narrow valleys.
 
However, the perception that Priorat wines are overly cooked by sun exposure leading them towards high alcohol content can be misleading. While enjoying a Mediterranean climate with ample sunshine moderated by humid sea winds and altitude effects results naturally higher alcohol levels due primarily low yields producing concentrated flavors.

Discover other producers from Priorat/Montsant, especially René Barbier y Sara Perez, Mas Martinet, Celler Laurona and Meritxell Palleja. © alfavin.ch