There’s something special about watching the next generation step into a family business—not just continuing a legacy, but reimagining it. The most meaningful changes tend to come when they carry the past with them, even as they chart their own path forward.

René Barbier strikes that balance with ease. As the son of one of Priorat’s pioneering winemakers, he’s forged his own style while staying rooted in the legacy of Clos Mogador, the family estate. At a recent lunch in Manhattan, Barbier poured several of his wines—Nelin, Gratallops, Dido, Venus la Universal, Clos Mogador, and Espectacle—and shared reflections on land, family, and making expressive wines.

“The idea for us has never been to make the ‘best’ wine in the world,” he said. “It’s to show a picture of what the vineyards produced that year.”

That mindset shows in the shift to fresher, more expressive wines, far from the inky blockbusters that defined Priorat in the ‘90s. His white wine, Nelin, made in a region where whites are just 5% of production, has been in the lineup for 25 years. “White wine is a passion of mine,” he said. “It’s more subtle, more complex. But when it’s good, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

Barbier now lives and works in neighboring Montsant with his wife, Sara Pérez, winemaker at Mas Martinet and co-creator of Venus La Universal. Their shared wines express freedom and freshness.

“Rather than make a ‘second,’ less expensive Priorat wine, we wanted something with its own voice,” he said of their Montsant wines. “The granite soils and forested landscape bring aromatics of wild herbs and a lift to the reds. “It smells like the place—you can taste the thyme, the fennel, the air.”

Cariñena plays a key role. “Garnacha [Grenache] gets too alcoholic now,” Barbier explained. “It gives perfume and fruity generosity and is best in a blend, but Cariñena brings the bones—the structure—keeping things in check. You can plant it almost anywhere here and it’ll do well.”

He also prefers concrete and aging in neutral oak, giving the wines extended time to develop without heaviness. “It’s long-aged, but still fresh,” he said. “That’s the goal.”

Barbier doesn’t make wine to impress—he makes wine to express.

“Every wine has to have a reason to exist,” he said. “Otherwise, why make it?”

Tasting Notes (with SRPs)

Nelin 2022, Clos Mogador, Priora ($77). A vibrant and refreshing white blend of eight varieties (Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Pansal, Picapoll Blanc and more). Showing great acidity and minerality, layered with notes of fruit and subtle yeast that give it a complexity reminiscent of Champagne. Fresh, flavorful, and remarkably drinkable—a standout white from a region where white wines are rare. I LOVE this wine!

Gratallops Vi de Vila Rosat 2022, Clos Mogador, Priorat. ($64). 60% Grenache, 20% Carignan, 20% Macabeo. A structured rosé that balances freshness and fruitiness with depth. Able to complement earthy flavors, and was a great pairing with roasted beets with ginger and orange. Delicious!

Venus La Universal, Montsant 2021 ($79). 60% Grenache, 40% Carignan. A lighter-hued red offering youthful freshness and tangy acidity. Medium-bodied with medium to low tannins; vibrant and complex, yet approachable in its youth. A juicy wine, created to be paired with food, especially Mediterranean cuisine like lentil or chickpea salad, hummus, gyros, and lamb kebabs.

Dido La Universal, Montsant 2022 ($30). 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Carignan/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon. A fresh and juicy red blend. Aromas of red fruit, mandarin peel, mountain herbs, and floral notes lead to a seductive, juicy palate with fine tannins.

Clos Mogador, Priorat 2022 ($110). 45% Garnacha, 29% Carignan, 16% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A rich and inviting red with fruity and smoky aromas. On the palate, you’ll find saline notes, richness, medium tannins, and notes of bay leaf, cloves, juniper, and Madagascar pepper. A balanced and flavorful experience. A Wine Chef favorite Spanish red, for sure!

Espectacle de Montsant 2022 ($158). A single-vineyard Priorat wine from century-old Garnacha vines grown on a dramatic amphitheater-shaped hillside in Montsant. “This one is always special,” says Barbier. “It’s pure emotion. It’s called ‘Espectacle’ because the vineyard looks like a stage,” he explained. “And the wine—it performs.” This big, rich wine, full of floral (roses, orange blossom) and fruity (cherries and plums) notes, is currently exhibiting youthful characteristics; it is expected to evolve and develop greater complexity with time.