Winemaker Notes
"A serious effort, the 2004 Juan Gil is fashioned from 45-year-old Mourvedre vines and is aged for 12 months in American and French oak. This rich, full-bodied, inky/purple-tinged cuvee exhibits aromas of scorched earth, blueberries, licorice, and pepper, a savory, layered texture, and remarkable opulence for a Mourvedre. Drink it over the next 3-4 years." The Wine Advocate
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Founded in 1916 by Juan Gil Jiménez, this is the Gil Family's first winery, created with the goal of showcasing the quality of the native Monastrell grape. Over 104 years, the winery has been consolidated and improved, applying technological advancements to the traditional knowledge passed down through the years.
The appellation of Jumilla, located about 60 miles inland from the southern mediterranean coast in Murcia, is known for Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre), with over 80% of vineyards planted with it. The majority of our vineyards average in age between 40 and 100 years with very low yields (aprox. 2,200 lb/ac). The continental climate is extreme here: summers are dry and hot with intense sun and winter is long and cold. The vineyards are between 2,000 and 2,800 feet above sea level, planted on sandy and rocky limestone soils that are very poor in nutrients, but have a great capacity to hold what little rain does fall. Monastrell is a thick-skin grape that thrives in the harsh conditions of the climate and terrain, leading to wines with great structure and intense color and aromas.
The unique combination of altitude, soil and climate makes Organic farming quite typical in Jumilla. All of the the Gil Family's estate Monastrell vineyards are dry-farmed without the use of pesticides or herbicides, the winery is entirely solar powered and “Zero-Waste” (by product is composted, water recycled). Organic Farming Certification of the vineyards starting with 2018 vintage of Silver Label.
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.