Château Barbier

La Vinya del Vuit

Gratallops Priorat Cariñena Blend 2012

La Vinya del Vuit (Vuit is 8 in Spanish) is a project of 8 Priorat producers started many years ago and still woking together closely to produce an excellent Priorat based on mutual efforts. The 8 comprise amongst others Sara Pérez (Mas Martinet, Venus Universal), René Barbier (Clos Mogador), Ester Nin (Nit de Nin) and 5 other producers from Gratallops. The wine label changes with each vintage, and always takes a shape in some form of an 8. The wine comes from one vineyard shared by the 8 friends, called Coll de Falset, near Gratallops. The vineyard produces very low yields (between 8 and 10 vines are needed for each bottle of wine) and as a result a very concentrated wine, mostly made with Carinyena, although there are many Garnatxa grapes in the vineyard. Only 800 bottles were produced of the 2012 wine. The result is a remarkable Priorat, very concentrated, lots of dark red fruit, very balanced, with some earthiness and minerality. Fantastic! — 3 months ago

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René Barbier i Sara Perez

Gratallops Partida Bellivisos Priorat Grenache Blanc 2017

The 2017 Gratallops Partida Bellvisos Blanc is a wine from the Priorat couple René Barbier Meyer (Clos Mogador) and Sara Pérez (Mas Martinet). It's a blend of Garnacha Blanca, Trepat Blanco and Viura (Macabeo) from 65-year-old vines. The appearance is coppery white close to rose, but no oxidation. It’s a powerful wine, ripe, spicy and some anise. — 3 years ago

Anthony and ESF liked this

Venus La Universal

Venus Tarragona-Falset 2015

Flagship wine from Venus La Universal, one of Montsant’s most exciting producers, led by husband and wife team René Barbier (Clos Mogador) and Sara Pérez (Mas Martinet). Elegant blend of Garnatxa (50%), Cariñena/Carignan (40%) and Syrah (10%) from organically farmed vineyards on clay-calcareous soils between Marçà and Guiamets, in Southern Catalonia. Juicy, sensual. Red fruit and balsamic notes. — 5 years ago

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Clos Erasmus

Laurel Priorat Garnacha Blend 2021

This is a stunning Garnatxa blend from Priorat (Catalonia), Spain!!

It’s comprised of mostly Garnatxa (Grenache), along with Syrah, and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from three parcels in the sun-soaked village of Gratallops, where Daphne Glorian purchased her first vineyard – Clos Escales – back in 1989 when she founded Clos i Terraces. 🍇

In making this move, she joined equally passionate and pioneering winemakers Álvaro Palacios (L’Ermita) and René Barbier (Clos Mogador) in a rebirth of production practices in the region; as a group (with other similar-minded producers) they altered the trajectory of Priorat’s profile as a source of tip top quality wines rivaling the best on the world stage. 👏🏻

Priorat is one of only two regions carrying the “DOCa” / “DOQ” quality designation (the other is Rioja), subject to various stipulations including regular auditing by a tasting panel. ✅

This particular wine is “Laurel” which is Clos i Terraces’s second wine, next to Clos Erasmus, one of Priorat’s finest and most sought-after wines. Yet it tastes like a flagship wine in and of itself.🫶🏻🫶🏻

It is absolutely beautiful, with a medium ruby hue, medium (+) intensity of ripe and fresh strawberry, red cherry, red plum, violet, black licorice, fennel, clove, baking spice aromas and flavors. It’s dry, with medium(+) acidity, a medium(+) body, high alcohol (14% ABV), and medium tannins that are fine-grained. 😆

This wine vinified and aged in a combination of vessels, including, large oak vats, concrete tanks, second and third fill French oak barrels, and clay amphorae, lending to its texture and complexity.👌🏻👌🏻
— 6 months ago

Peter, Shay and 13 others liked this
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge

@Vanessa There is a great movie about the rebirth of Priorat featuring Daphne, Alvaro Palacios and Rene Barbier and others called “Dreaming of Wine”. I thoroughly recommend it.
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Jay Kline Cheers! 🥂
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Bob McDonald Thank you so much for this fabulous recommendation. 🙏🏻 We’re definitely going to track that movie down and cannot wait to watch it! 🍷🍷

Clos Mogador

Priorat Red Blend 2013

See previous note 2 years ago in March 2022. Still very consistent impressions. Black and blue fruits, as mentioned before. Dried plum and earth with herbal notes (fennel). Priorat Garnacha and Garnacha blends are some of my favourite wine styles. Clos Mogador is biodynamic and Rene Barbier does not use chemicals in the vineyard. — 9 months ago

Doug, David and 20 others liked this

Barbier-Louvet

Cuvee D'Ensemble Grand Cru Champagne Blend

Little early pre-New Years champagne!! Banana, green apple, slight apricot, and brioche on the nose. Mellows a bit after being out and blends well. While I’m not a big banana fan, I greatly appreciated the excellent profiles. I — a year ago

Vanessa and Milissa liked this

Christian Barbier

Deunido Montsant Garnacha

Natural Montsant. Unfiltered 100% Garnatxa from La Figuera. Fermented and aged for 5 months in stainless steel. Juicy dark fruit. Pine. Earthy notes. Bright, easy to drink — 4 years ago

Bob and Mike liked this