We’re all familiar with the grenache based wines of Southern France. In fact, I’d imagine this is the first place that the wine nerd’s brain descends upon when discussing grenache as a varietal and the styles of wine we feel are emblematic of it. But this is actually not the grape’s true place of heritage! Ampelographical evidence suggests that the grape was first born in Spain’s Northeastern regions of Aragon & Catalonia, where seed remains of Garnacha have been carbon dated back to 153 BC. This predates written records in Europe. It was in the 1300s onwards that the grape began to expand its presence, taking root in outher parts of Southern Europe like Sardinia, Greece, and France.
Tasting a grape from its place of origin brings a sense of enormity and significance that cannot be replicated. When I enjoy wine, I see myself not only as someone that appreciates great flavor, but as an actual adventurer and witness to the history and culture of the broader world. The celebration of what makes any grape or style unique is what continuously pulls me back into the passion and forms the deep reverance I have for classic regions.
Which brings me to our offer today! On sale now is simply some of the best garnacha that Spain has ever made. Coming straight from the heartland of garnacha’s origins are the wines of Espectacle del Montsant and Clos Mogador. These wines both come from Rene Barbier and have revitalized the notion of high quality potential that the garnacha grape can achieve. The vineyards in the Sierras of Montsant are of very high altitude (upwards of 2300 feet above sea level), comprised of diverse soils including limestone, clay, granite, and slate. What truly makes the vine material special though is that its some of the most ancient in all of Spain, with much of it being 100 years old or more. The Priorat reds which Barbier is most famous for are grown on licorella soils, black in hue and born to express the rich fruit flavors of garnacha while enabling ample water drainage to retain freshness.
Barbier describes himself on the winery’s website as “obsessed by the expression ‘terroir’.” He lives and breathes the vineyard, and is nourished by its biodiverse flora of fruit trees, olives, and herbs. His obsession was rewarded when the flagship Mogador wine was the first Catalonian wine to achieve “Vi de Finca” status, certifying it as a single-vineyard estate-bottled wine from a notable site with at least five years of production.
These are rich and textural red wines. The broad fruit potential of the garnacha is expressed here in combination with fresh acidity maintained from high altitude growing conditions and steep slopes. The Mediterranean climate is realized so intimately in the final product, with the all the warmth of the Spanish sun creating silky tannins and opulent structure. What’s striking is that the wines never feel top heavy in spite of their ripeness and higher alcohol; but rather show obvious elegance in the glance with very lifted aromas of flowers and delicate spice.
With our discount applied, these are practically the lowest prices you can find anywhere for these wines. We have 7 vintages on offer and it’s an amazing opportunity to assemble a miniature vertical for you to taste through by yourself or with guests. Discount available only through this coming Wednesday so act fast!
Buy any 3-5 bottles for a 5% discount
Buy any 6+ bottles for a 10% discount
Discounts will be applied after orders are received.
Offer ends on Wednesday February 12th at 9AM PST
Available Vintages of Espectacle & Clos Mogador:
Espectacle del Montsant, Montsant 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 98 points “As with other wines, I also tasted the 2018 Espectacle del Montsant next to the 2017 to catch up, as I last tasted the region some 16 months ago. 2018 was a cooler year of slow ripeness, and the grapes achieved an amazing 16% alcohol. The wine is truly spectacular, true to its name. It has tons of violet notes and aromatic herbs, the palate is gentler, and the tannins are rounder, polished and elegant. It has full body but isn’t heavy. There is a lot of complexity, and the wine developed slowly in the glass, showing nuances of cereals, kirsch, orange peel and lots of spices and herbs. It’s opulent and full, deep and complex. Amazing in its style. Some 6,500 bottles produced.”
Espectacle del Montsant, Montsant 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $125, that’s $118.75 at 5% off and $112.50 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 99 points “It’s always an exciting moment tasting a new vintage of the wine from one of the most beautiful vineyards in Montsant, and the 2019 Espectacle del Montsant didn’t disappoint. It’s always Mediterranean, heady and ripe, decadent and hedonistic. 2019 was a warm and quite classical vintage in the zone, with good ripeness (the wine’s label lists 15.5% alcohol), and the wine is hedonistic, nuanced and complex, with very good acidity, which is one of the characteristics that makes this vintage so complete. Despite everything, the wine is medium to full-bodied and comes through as perfumed and ethereal. They do long macerations and long aging in foudre. 2019 is a very serious vintage for this wine; it’s a little closed and needs time in the glass, and it’s tight and seamless, a little austere for what this wine usually is. This is truly spectacular.”
Espectacle del Montsant, Montsant 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $135, that’s $128.25 at 5% off and $121.50 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2020 Espectacle del Montsant has 15% alcohol, lower than the two previous vintages despite being a warmer year, and it has power and concentration (from the weather and the low yields from mildew), reaching a good concentration with freshness, which is the key to having a balanced 2020. The wine is floral, and the profile of fruit is more primary. It also has abundant, fine-grained tannins that are going to require some more time in bottle. Espectacle always has the floral expression and the elegance of this unique vineyard in Montsant. Starting in 2022, Christian Barbier, who is leading the regenerative viticulture in the Priorat/Montsant zone, will be in charge of the viticulture here.”
Espectacle del Montsant, Montsant 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 29 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2021 Espectacle del Montsant has a bright ruby color and a very perfumed and elegant nose with no signs of excess ripeness, with 14.5% alcohol. As 2021 was a much cooler year, the wine is more elegant than ever (following the cooler years like 2014), textured and with very fine tannins. It has an intoxicating nose of red fruit and blood orange, violets and a spicy twist with pungent flavors and a finish that is dominated by violet pastille and is pungent, intense, clean and very long. It’s multi-layered, precise, nuanced and ever-changing in the glass. It has to be one of the most elegant and finest vintages of Espectacle, with the natural freshness from the year. Bravo! There are some 7,500 bottles of this elixir.”
Clos Mogador ‘Nelin’ Blanco, Priorat DOCa 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $75, that’s $71.25 at 5% off and $67.50 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “Marking the 20th anniversary of this white wine, the 2021 Nelin was produced with Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Picapoll white and Cariñena Blanca—in the future, there will be more and more of the last two varieties in the blend, a big change from the beginning. Produced with the juice from the direct pressing, the wine spent one year in oak and six months in tank. It’s balsamic, eminently Mediterranean and ripe, with 14% alcohol (a little lower through the change of varieties) and notes of hay and straw, aromatic herbs and waxy apples. It has volume and density but with the freshness from a cooler year. It’s approachable but should develop a lot more complexity with time in bottle. They planted three new hectares of white grapes, so volumes will grow in future years.”
Clos Mogador Gratallops Vi de Finca (Estate Wine), Priorat DOCa 2012 1.5L Displayed Price: $399, that’s $379.05 at 5% off and $359.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2012 Clos Mogador is nothing short of spectacular. They started in 1999 with some Cariñena, and they gradually increased the Garnacha and reduced the Cabernet. 2012 is possibly the vintage of Mogador with less Cabernet, as it didn’t behave well in such warm year. René Barbier senior tells me it reminds him of the freshness of the 2000 that he generously uncorked for me to compare; they only have a handful of bottles for the old vintages! The nose of this 2012 is still little reticent but not reduced like many vintages in the past, slowly showing a great Mediterranean-Atlantic balance with notes of herbs, wet slate and graphite. The super-elegant palate offers great acidity and freshness with incredibly layered and delineated flavors that have an electric, mineral sensation with tension and really fine tannins. There are no traces of oak and no edges… rugged silk? This is a Mogador for decades. If this is always a bargain for the quality it delivers, it is even more so in 2012!”
Clos Mogador Gratallops Vi de Finca (Estate Wine), Priorat DOCa 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 98 points “The eponymous red 2021 Clos Mogador fermented with some 30% full clusters trying to give it more freshness (but without noticing the stems) with a long maceration (40 to 50 days) and (almost) no punching down, with less extraction. There’s been a progressive change in the vineyard (they removed the south-facing Cabernet Sauvignon), and they increased Cariñena (around 30%), which in the future will be almost as much as Garnacha. It has aromatic complexity and a beautiful texture. It matured in 2,000-liter oak foudres and a small part in barrel and later in concrete. The wine has 14% alcohol and has the Priorat, Mogador and Mediterranean character (wet slate, graphite, aromatic herbs) with more elegance and freshness. The tannins are also a lot more elegant, and the wine comes through as very balanced. They produced 35,000 bottles of this. It was bottled in June 2023”