Clos Mogador was founded in Priorat, Spain, in 1982, by Rene Barbier, a descendant of the 19th century Frenchman who founded the now very large and successful Rene Barbier wine estate near Barcelona 150 years ago. That estate is now owned by Frexinet and makes a large portfolio of wines. The current Rene Barbier worked in the wine industry for other producers for several years before returning to Priorat, his home region, and starting his own winery.The 50-acre estate is named after a novel written by Barbier’s great aunt, who described the life of a family living near Mont Ventoux in southern France. Clos Mogador’s first vintage was 1989, and it quickly became a cult Spanish red, prized for its extraordinary character. Barbier presses his grapes on an olive press, which extracts only half the amount of juice that a grape press would deliver, making Clos Mogador highly concentrated. Clos Mogador is 35% Garnacha, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah and 10% Carinena.