Clos Nelin Priorat White Blend

At the Clos Mogador tasting at the winery yesterday. The fact that it was 3rd in the lineup after 2 full bodied reds was no accident This full bodied delicious white more than held its own. A golden yellow in colour - fermented on skins in a combination of vessels including clay amphora. Could be drunk now or last for 20 years. Rene Barbier recently opened a 2000 for the staff and it was stunning Josep said. Notes of dried peaches and tangerine peel. Very mineral. Dense on the palate with great weight. 85% Grenache Blanc with 15% many other varieties.

Mid gold in colour. Aromas of ripe apple, honeysuckle, and a gravelly minerality. Initially a bit cold coming out of the fridge but as it warmed up it was a full bodied white with a palate bordering on unctuous. Shows nectarine and stone fruit in general with ripe Quince and low acid. A delicious flavoursome Spanish white made up of Garnacha Blanc and Macabeo. Rene Barbier says “with Nelin we play with skins.........fermentation starts with old wood, followed by cement vats, clay pots, and even some stainless steel sometimes”. Sufficient acid to provide freshness and zing and no oily texture. My first Clos Mogador white.

Apple, quince, orange zest, pithy lemon, peach and candied citron. Great acidity and minerality.

I can’t decide if I like Grenache Blanc or not. This wine is pretty good

We discovered discover this Garnacha Blanca blend during our May 2015 visit to Clos Mogador. Rene's son Rene had us jump in his old SUV and drove us through their steep and rocky hillside vineyards. If you've had their reds and wondered why fennel notes are there, it grows all over their property. After a tour of their vineyards we went back to their patio for a tasting...and what a view. Shown in the photos. We started the tasting with the 2010 Nelin. It was the first time we'd had it. At the time, one of the more unique whites we'd had in a long time. It was bright, fresh, subdued fruity, tangy with amazing crisp minerality. Afterwards, we went to lunch at "Amics" near by Clos Mogador. The best & most original 4 course lunches we had for seventy euros with a bottle of this wine. Great service and unparalleled accommodation. It didn't have a star but it should. The nicest couple from Brazil run it. Tonight's revisit is the 2011 and it's had a little better than 5 years in the bottle. It's definitely changed. It's, more golden now, weightier, thicker, more oily and picked up not quite a petrol quality. The fruits are; peach, apricot, pineapple, lemon & lime juice. Notes of honey, wild fragrant florals, amazing chalky minerality, perfect round acidity and a round, lush finish that we absolutely love. The blend is mostly Garnacha Blanca with some Viognier, Roussanne & Pinot Blanc. Photos of the property, views, and the father & son winemaking team of Rene & Rene Barbier. Producer history & notes...Clos Mogador produces estate bottled wines in Gratallops, Catalonia in the DOQ Priorat. Founded in 1979 by René Barbier III and his wife Isabelle Meyer. With several friends, they began replanting terraces and recuperating old ones to eventually have their first release in 1989 as Clos Mogador. This name comes from a novel written by an aunt named, Élisabeth Barbier called, “Les Gens de Mogador”, “The people of Mogador”; which chronicles the rise and fall of a family from near Avignon in France on an imaginary estate called, Mogador. Clos Mogador is 13 hectares. Six hectares are made of 80 years old Cariñena vines, two hectares of 6 years old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, three hectares of 6 years old Garnacha vines and 2 hectares of 6 year old are Syrah vines. They use mostly organic methods. It is worth knowing that at the winemaking stage, Rene Barbier uses an olive press instead of a normal wine press to extract the juice. This results in an even more intense wine from what are already highly concentrated grapes from low yields. Try the Nelin, it's simply delicious!!! Cheers.

Great harmony. Surprising acidity for a Grenache Blanc. Looooong,

2001

Southern Rhone ringer with some viscous punch.

Winegeeks mty

Interesting white blend of Garnacha Blanco, Macabeu and Escayavelles.