Nelín 2010

In previous issues we have already highlighted the potential of the Priorat as a fashionable wine region. This would be difficult to understand if it were not for the estimable figure of René Barbier. For the past twenty five years, this sage of French origin has been a key figure in the Catalan wine revolution and through his work he has constantly shown that this revolution is no easy task and much less a passing fad, but a growing reality which has not yet reached its full potential. René tends 35 hectares of vineyards near the town of Gratallops and basically makes his wines from the traditional Priorat grape varieties complementing them with a sprinkling of foreign varieties. His style is elegant and ground-breaking and as a result the Bodega has achieved worldwide fame, recognized by international wine critics and appreciated by wine lovers around the world.

Appearance

Intense yellow hue with golden highlights. Slightly dense in the glass.

Nose

powerful and very pleasant. Evidence of oak ageing at the start giving way to more mineral and floral notes. Hints of ripe pear, chamomile and lychee.

Palate

Very smooth and fresh. Weighty on the palate. Notes of noble oak with oven baked fruit. Herbaceous on the finish. Very long and vibrantly young.

Comment

When we think of Priorat, we usually think “red” but if you think “white Priorat”, then most people think of Nelin. This is a lovely white and not only because of the loving care that René puts into its creation and which its label illustrates so well, but because when you drink it, two realities converge; the white garnacha base evoking the unrelenting sun, slaty soils and minerality giving us youth, and the rest of the blend giving us spices, intensity on the palate and complexity that will develop in the future. A delicious wine which can be enjoyed now and which will improve for many years.