Let's talk little, let's talk wine
Located in the heart of the mountainous Priorat region of Catalonia, the Clos Mogador vineyard spreads around the village of Gratallops, on steep llicorella slopes, the emblematic black schist. The plots for the Nelin cuvée overlook the Ebro valley and benefit from a Mediterranean climate with strong thermal amplitudes, tempered by sea winds. The vines, planted on terraces and "costers" (steep slopes), plunge their roots into poor and stony soils, offering a singular expression of this Catalan terroir with a marked personality.
The Clos Mogador grapes destined for this white cuvée are harvested manually in small crates, then carefully sorted upon arrival at the winery. Vinification takes place grape variety by grape variety, with gentle pressing to preserve aromatic finesse. Fermentation is slow, partly in oak barrels and partly in neutral containers, to maintain freshness while gaining complexity. Aging continues on fine lees, with regular bâtonnage, before final blending and bottling at the estate.
This wine reveals notes of ripe stone fruit, juicy white fruit, and delicate citrus, complemented by refined floral touches and subtle spicy nuances from aging. A subtle mineral dimension reminiscent of the schist soils is also perceptible, along with light, perfectly integrated woody accents. On the palate, the texture is ample and silky, supported by a distinct freshness, a beautiful tension, and a persistent, flavorful, and harmonious finish.
Where are we traveling?
Priorat
It is located in the hinterland of Tarragona, Catalonia, about 100 kilometers southwest of Barcelona, nestled in a natural amphitheater of steep hills and deep valleys. The vineyard stretches across dizzying slopes, sometimes with an inclination of more than 45 degrees, between 100 and 700 meters above sea level, in a spectacular landscape of narrow terraces clinging to the mountain. The viticultural history dates back to the 12th century, when Carthusian monks founded the Scala Dei priory and planted the first vines, giving the region its name. After centuries of prosperity, phylloxera and rural exodus emptied Priorat of its winemakers, until a handful of visionary pioneers — René Barbier, Álvaro Palacios, Daphne Glorian and a few others — rediscovered in the 1990s the extraordinary potential of these unique llicorella soils, a black, shiny slate schist that forces roots to plunge deep and gives the wines an intense, dark minerality. The climate is continental Mediterranean, hot and dry, tempered by the Catalan mistral — the cerç — which sweeps through the vines and by the nocturnal freshness linked to the altitude, offering the grapes slow maturation and remarkable balance. Priorat is one of only two Spanish appellations to hold the DOCa status, on par with Rioja, and has established itself thanks to its monumental and profound Garnacha and Cariñena reds, often from century-old vines with tiny yields, complemented by ambitious cuvées incorporating Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and a handful of rare and mineral white Garnacha Blanca and Macabeu wines, testaments to an extreme terroir that produces some of the most intense and moving wines in the entire Mediterranean.
The little history of the country
Spain
The history of wine in Spain is so ancient that no one really knows who first brought the vines to the region. By the time the Phoenicians arrived some 3,000 years ago and founded the present-day cities of Cádiz and Jerez, viticulture was already well established, and Spanish wines were widely traded throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa. You could say that Spain is a winemaking miracle. After years on the sidelines of the world of fine wines, it is now a major player. Investment and ambition in vineyards and wineries are resulting in increasingly rich, complex (often high in alcohol), and spicy reds that are gaining popularity with international consumers. Proud to have more land dedicated to vines than any other country, Spain is only now beginning to capitalize on this resource in a consistent way. Spain is a chaotic jumble of regions and subregions, much like its landscape is a chaotic jumble of incredibly rugged scenery. A glance at a map reveals the climatic diversity among Spain's many wine regions, from the lush, green vineyards of Galicia on the northern Atlantic coast to the parched vineyards of the southeastern Mediterranean. Spain's saving grace for viticulture is the average altitude of its vineyards, which is over 600 meters. Many Spanish vineyards are thus able to produce grapes with good color and acidity simply because nighttime temperatures are relatively low and the grapes don't ripen until after a sufficiently long growing season. But there is a real treasure trove to be found for those willing to dig, and now that a class of connoisseurs has developed in Spain, all sorts of ambitious investors have done their part to change the image of Spanish wine. Today, a new generation of winemakers has quietly begun to craft spectacular wines and experiment with grape varieties that would have been unthinkable not so long ago. Wine remains an important commodity and an integral part of Spanish culture.