Mike Lev

9.2

Pale yellow, citrus > oak, vanilla apple. Lovely — 4 years ago

Gene Buonviri

9.2

Traditional excellent Northern Rhône heritage is on display and proof is in this wine. A smooth red blend exhibiting hidden ripe berries. With an intensity to pair well with burgers and family gatherings. — 5 years ago

with Justinian

Ryan Mullins

8.9

Maybe an off bottle that saw some heat but the cork didn’t hint at it. Underwhelmed for such a great premier cru — 6 years ago

Matt Nason

9.0

Waxy aromatic peaches with a beautiful vibrant acidity. Young. — 6 years ago

Andrew Lohse

8.9

Melon, apple, stone, on the nose / creamy, plush, giving palate / mineraled finish that leans crisp / presence of oak and slight new oak is apparent on this completely solid, totally pleasurable entry-level bottle 👌 — 7 years ago

Kim black

9.8

Incredible up sell from a dry white — 7 years ago

Steven Carey

9.0

Cool mix of bread and zest - one hundo percentamante Pinot. — 7 years ago

with Olivia

Gigi Pan

9.1

Premier cru. Another Chardonnay for the dinner matching salmon. Hmmm, paring is not that as expected. — 8 years ago

with Alan

Nate Wall

Winemaker at Troon Vineyard

9.0

A Northern Rhône take on a Southern Rhône blend - less stewed fruit, more floral and herbal and nuance. Lovely. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Perhaps, our favorite non Burgundy white. It is unique among whites.

Also, one of the best afternoons we’ve enjoyed. Appointments at Clos Mogador & Erasmus. Then, lunch looking back at both properties from Amcis. A great meal we would give two Michelin stars. This wine and a custom four course for two for only 70 Euros in 2015. Fantastic restaurant. A must do in Priorat.

The nose reveals; ripe & slightly sour pineapple, lemon chiffon, mix of well extracted stone fruits, notes of lime candy, banana peel, slight burnt brown sugar, blend of chalky minerals, volcanics, chamomile, vanilla bean notes, well cooked toast, sandy dry top soil, fennel (grows everywhere), tree bark with sap, mix of dark & white spice w/ white dominate and a fields of spring flowers.

The body is full & round with good viscosity. slightly sour pineapple, lemon chiffon, mix of well extracted stone fruits, golden apple to cider, tropical melons, kiwi, notes of lime candy, banana peel, fringes of marmalade, slight sugar in the raw, blend of white, chalky minerals, mint, volcanics, crushed dry sandstone, saline, chamomile, vanilla bean notes, well cooked toast, dry herbs, sandy dry top soil, fennel (grows everywhere), tree bark with sap, mix of dark & white spice w/ white dominate and a fields of perfume spring flowers with mixed greens. The acidity is round and rushes like a river. The long, rich, well knitted & balanced, polished & elegant finish goes on & on ending persistently w/ sweet white spice.

The 2017 is different than the earlier vintages we’ve had. It needs another two years in bottle. If you drink now, fully chill and decant 2 hours.

Photos of; Clos Mogador, Owners/Winemakers-Rene Barber Sr. & Jr. and vines around their Estate. — 5 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

NV/ one of the best rosé champagnes / paired with smokedham and fresh figs — 6 years ago

Amit Srivastava

9.4

This was Sancerre Blanc ... awesome. Not oaky .. smooth at sip time , w a long finish and a slight tartiness at the end .. best Sancerre I have ever had — 7 years ago

Tobin Spratte

9.2

Aromas of Granny Smith apples, lemon tart, raw pastry dough, steel, and marlstone with hints of cardamom and vanilla. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

We discovered discover this Garnacha Blanca blend during our May 2015 visit to Clos Mogador. Rene's son Rene had us jump in his old SUV and drove us through their steep and rocky hillside vineyards. If you've had their reds and wondered why fennel notes are there, it grows all over their property. After a tour of their vineyards we went back to their patio for a tasting...and what a view. Shown in the photos. We started the tasting with the 2010 Nelin. It was the first time we'd had it. At the time, one of the more unique whites we'd had in a long time. It was bright, fresh, subdued fruity, tangy with amazing crisp minerality. Afterwards, we went to lunch at "Amics" near by Clos Mogador. The best & most original 4 course lunches we had for seventy euros with a bottle of this wine. Great service and unparalleled accommodation. It didn't have a star but it should. The nicest couple from Brazil run it. Tonight's revisit is the 2011 and it's had a little better than 5 years in the bottle. It's definitely changed. It's, more golden now, weightier, thicker, more oily and picked up not quite a petrol quality. The fruits are; peach, apricot, pineapple, lemon & lime juice. Notes of honey, wild fragrant florals, amazing chalky minerality, perfect round acidity and a round, lush finish that we absolutely love. The blend is mostly Garnacha Blanca with some Viognier, Roussanne & Pinot Blanc. Photos of the property, views, and the father & son winemaking team of Rene & Rene Barbier. Producer history & notes...Clos Mogador produces estate bottled wines in Gratallops, Catalonia in the DOQ Priorat. Founded in 1979 by René Barbier III and his wife Isabelle Meyer. With several friends, they began replanting terraces and recuperating old ones to eventually have their first release in 1989 as Clos Mogador. This name comes from a novel written by an aunt named, Élisabeth Barbier called, “Les Gens de Mogador”, “The people of Mogador”; which chronicles the rise and fall of a family from near Avignon in France on an imaginary estate called, Mogador. Clos Mogador is 13 hectares. Six hectares are made of 80 years old Cariñena vines, two hectares of 6 years old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, three hectares of 6 years old Garnacha vines and 2 hectares of 6 year old are Syrah vines. They use mostly organic methods. It is worth knowing that at the winemaking stage, Rene Barbier uses an olive press instead of a normal wine press to extract the juice. This results in an even more intense wine from what are already highly concentrated grapes from low yields. Try the Nelin, it's simply delicious!!! Cheers. — 8 years ago

Mark S.

8.9

Violet color. As expected, violet and blueberry, fruity taste. A bit spicy. Slight iron flavor. 2018 @850, Kping -, 210520-210524 — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

With BBQ Chicken & Roasted, Rosemary Potatoes on opening night of the D&S Lounge.

John Alban’s wines remind me most of all the California producers/versions of North Rhone or Côte-Rôtie wines. Côte-Rôtie translates into for us as “Roasted Slope.” I assume that’s why his craft was dubbed as the “Original Rhône Ranger.”

Although this has the roasted characterizations of those wines, this certainly has more ripe, ruby style fruits. Also, more purple & blue fruits.

John’s higher end wines, Reva & Pondora remind me of the a French producer, Rostaing. Those two vineyard productions more closely mimic the Rostaing style.

The Patrina is a good intro into Alban wines. You can tell it is a direct descendant but, for far less money. The others are better but, this carries the best wine value in their line up.

The nose reveals; roasted & candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, creamy raspberries & blue fruits. Used, French expresso roast grounds, anise to black licorice, purple fruit cola, coarse, ground, black pepper, dark spices, fresh tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, dry stems, dry crushed rocks, limestone & volcanic minerals, bay leaf, some sage, black tea, black olives, bandaid notes, saddle-wood to cedar, graphite notes with dark, fresh & withering, red, blue & purple candied florals, violets framed in a field of candied lavender.

The body is; lush, ruby, big and like velvet. The tannins are round but, still pack, chewy, tarry, meaty tannins that are 45-50% resolved. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a good place but, will hit a peak in five to seven years. The 2010 Patrina still has room for improvement and will last another 10-15 years. It is simply wine candy. Roasted & candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, creamy raspberries & blue fruits. Used, French expresso roast grounds, anise to black licorice, purple fruit cola, coarse, ground, black pepper, dark spices with just the right amount of palate heat, grilled meats, chestnuts, fresh tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, dry stems, dry crushed rocks, moist clay, limestone & gritty volcanic minerals, dry stone, bay leaf, some sage, black tea, black olives, Steeped black tea, bandaid notes, saddle-wood to cedar, graphite notes with dark, fresh & withering, red, blue & purple candied florals, violets framed in a field of candied lavender. The acidity is phat & round. It holds the slightly elevated alcohol level nicely. The finish is excellent & consistent wire to wire. It’s long, ruby, candied fruits with just the right balance of earth that persists endlessly.

Just misses 9.4.

Photos of; the best room in our house for 6+ months of the year, our backyard. Aka, the D&S Lounge on Memorial Day Weekend 2020. — 5 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.1

T.A. Returns to S.D. 7/7/2018: Every party needs a token Burg😉 — 7 years ago

Fabrice Blazquez

9.1

Pure toasted wine with light honey jams and a hint of elderflower tea — 7 years ago

Samantha Potter

9.2

#RebouleduRhone — 7 years ago

Tom Riley

9.2

Bright, tight, and champing at the bit. Racy acid and cool fruit sitting nimbly on a perch of earth and spice. Finish that won't quit. Drank it too soon but still a great treat. Gift from a colleague at my wife's job. I've never met her but I like her. A lot. — 8 years ago