Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Their single-vineyard 2022 Clos Mogador, they flagship wine, was produced with a blend of grapes, mostly Garnacha and Cariñena but also some Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon (less and less, as they are regrafting most of them). It fermented with 40% full clusters and matured in 2,000- and 2,500-liter oak foudres; some are old barriques, to avoid having too much new oak, and some lots finish aging in concrete to complete some 20 months. They have implemented some changes, moving toward larger volumes, abandoning the barriques and moving to foudre (with the low volumes in 2024, the wine will be only in foudre). It has a very Mediterranean nose with plenty of dry hay and straw notes, the classical wet slate notes, very Priorat too, and it has a round palate and very fine, chalky tannins. It's serious and harmonious and feels relaxed, without any excess. It comes in at 14% alcohol with 5.4 grams of acidity and a bone-dry finish. None of the 2022s showed excess heat or ripeness. The alcohol is contained and integrated, and the wines are balanced and harmonious but with a more Mediterranean profile.
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James Suckling
The oak spices are still a bit prominent, but that doesn’t hinder its expression of complexity and impressive depth. Graphite, roasted spices and a panoply of dried herbs and sweet cherries. It is plump, almost full-bodied and layered, with firm, fine tannins and a lengthy finish.
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Vinous
The 2022 Clos Mogador from Priorat is a blend of 45% Garnatxa, 40% Cariñena, 8% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. A warm-year expression, it reveals red fruit and balsamic notes. On the palate, the tannins are slightly rugged and reactive, true to the character of the vintage. Among the series of warm years, this was one in which vintage stress left a clear mark on the palate.
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Wine Spectator
An elegant red, offering flavors of plum sauce, plumped cherry, dried violet, dark chocolate and stone, all married to sculpted tannins that carry a limber feel and creamy edges. Satiny and lingering on the lightly spiced finish. Garnatxa, Carinyena, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2032. 2,500 cases made, 770 cases imported.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Tiny and entirely composed of craggy, jagged and deeply terraced vineyards, Priorat is a Catalan wine-producing region that was virtually abandoned until the early 1990s. This Spanish wine's renaissance came with the arrival of one man, René Barbier, who recognized the region’s forgotten potential. He banded with five friends to create five “Clos” in the village of Gratallops. Their aim was to revive some of Priorat’s ancient Carignan vines, as well as plant new—mainly French—varieties. These winemakers were technically skilled, well-trained and locally inspired; not surprisingly their results were a far cry from the few rustic and overly fermented wines already produced.
This movement escalated Priorat’s popularity for a few reasons. Its new wines were modern and made with well-recognized varieties, namely old Carignan and Grenache blended with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. When the demand arrived, scarcity commanded higher prices and as the region discovered its new acclaim, investors came running from near and far. Within ten years, the area under vine practically doubled.
Priorat’s steep slopes of licorella (brown and black slate) and quartzite soils, protection from the cold winds of the Siera de Monstant and a lack of water, leading to incredibly low vine yields, all work together to make the region’s wines unique. While similar blends could and are produced elsewhere, the mineral essence and unprecedented concentration of a Priorat wine is unmistakable.