René Barbier's white from Priorat, drawn off four parcels across ten hectares and built on a spine of Garnacha Blanca with Macabeu, Picapoll Blanc, Cartoixa Vermell and Escanyavella filling in around it. Organic farming, a vintage that reads generous rather than austere. Texture through the mid-palate, orchard fruit, and that stony pull Priorat gives even its whites. A white from a region everyone knows for red, and it earns the space.
Winemaker Notes
LIMITED– PLEASE INQUIRE Clos Nelin produced by René Barbier is a combination of 4 different parcels, totalling 10 hectares. The combination of 50% Grenache Blanc, the other 50% a mixture of Viognier, Pinot Noir (vinified as a white), Roussanne, Marsanne, Macabeo, Pedro Ximénez & Escanya Vella come from vines that range from 10 to 30 ... Read More
Professional Ratings
96
Wine Advocate"All the wines go through malolactic in barrel, including the white 2022 Nelin, a blend that has been changing over time. In 2022, it was produced exclusively with local varieties, Garnacha Blanca, Macabeu, Xarel·lo, Cariñena Blanca, Picapoll Blanco, Trepat Blanco, PX and Escanyavelles from four small organic vineyards. Despite the dry conditions and the heat waves, it came after the 2021, and the vines had enough reserves, so the wines are fresher than expected. It's a Mediterranean blend with 14% alcohol and 5.3 grams of acidity, clean and harmonious. The north-facing plots behaved very well, and the varieties can take the conditions without a problem, so the wine doesn't seem affected at all. In fact, it's quite fresh, medium-bodied and very tasty, serious and characterful, a triumph over the extreme conditions of the year. It's a white with aging potential. 9,000 bottles were filled in April 2024."
95
Tim Atkin, MW"If there was an award for "Most changed wine in Priorat", Nelin should surely win. Smoky and reductive on the nose, with a savoury, leesy character complementing the ripe lemon and yellow fruits. Electric acidity animates the flavours lasting into the finish. 2024-2038"
93
Vinous"The 2022 Nelín from Priorat was aged 12 months in 1,200-liter vats and six months in stainless steel. It is complex and appealing, with white peach, a touch of Mediterranean herbs and oak notes in the background. Broad and creamy in freshness, with compact flavor, it is a flavorful white with volume and herbal undertones."
93
Wine Spectator"A lovely white, creamy and layered, with honeycomb, chamomile, dried mint and ground ginger aromatics, plus a finely detailed range of baked melon, quince paste, dried pineapple and roasted almond flavors. Fleshy and medium-bodied, this is plush in texture, animated by well-knit, lemony acidity and a subtle streak of salinity. The long finish echoes the rich profile. Garnacha Blanca and Macabeu. - AN"
