Since little over a century, the wines of Juan Gil have garnered this Spanish bodega international recognition.

Juan Gil Jiménez founded Winery Juan Gil in the Jumilla region of Southeastern Spain in 1916. Four generations later the winery is one of Spain’s best, with traditional knowledge transmitted from parents to children now merged with new technical solutions and increased production from newly acquired wineries nearby.

Currently the company is in the hands of brother number five out of nine, Miguel Gil, president of Juan Gil Family Bodegas, who took the reins of the family business fifteen years ago. Together with his brother Ángel Gil, he has carried on the growth and consolidation of the winery group and continues to improve the future of this exemplary family business.

Ángel and Miguel Gil

The current newly-built winery uses all modern technology to ensure rigorous temperature control of wine, with the use of stainless steel tanks, and excellent hygienic conditions throughout the winemaking process.

The vineyards, which are adjacent to the winery, are closely monitored to optimise conditions for the development of the grapes.

The main variety grown is Monastrell (Mourvèdre), a small but thick-skin red grape typical of the region of Jumilla which can withstand the extreme climate with hot summers and cold winters, sometimes with a difference of 25ºC between day and night, at an altitude of around 800 meters, with little rainfall and a sandy and limestone stony soil which offers few nutrients.

These harsh conditions produce a low yield of small but highly concentrated fruits, resulting in expressive wines with great structure, palatable, and intense in colour and aromas.

Additionally, Juan Gil wines are close to organic. Frank Gonzalez, Juan Gil’s winemaker at their Ateca winery in Zaragoza says that he uses minimal sulfur and that they rarely use any treatments in the vineyards.

Not only are Juan Gil’s wines excellent to drink, they are also known to be excellent price-value. We love all their wines, but are particularly partial to the Juan Gil Silver Label (second from right in image below).

Juan Gil Etiqueta Plata 12 meses (12 months in French oak barrels) or the Juan Gil Silver Label is the perfect example of what a good Monastrell wine should be like. It is a luscious, smooth wine with many layers and surprising depth as well as a lengthy satisfying finish.

Juan Gil Silver Label is made 100 percent from Monastrell grapes that are known for producing strong tannic wines which are quite high in alcohol content and, although the wines vary according to where the vines were grown, have an earthy flavour of wild game mixed with ripe fruit and dark chocolate.

And Juan Gil Silver Label is the perfect example of what a good Monastrell wine should be like: A deep purple almost black colour, subtle yet intense aroma of ripe berries, currants, delicate vanilla and sweet cedar spice; rich, powerful and voluminous flavours. It is a luscious, smooth wine with many layers and surprising depth as well as a lengthy satisfying finish. (Note: The bottle is as lovely, with a fine grainy quality to the silver label.)

Juan Gil Silver Label is truly classy and delicious and easily on par with far more expensive wines. Its rich and complex flavour goes well with hearty meat dishes, ham and other cold-cuts, but it’s such a rich and full-bodied wine that it could be enjoyed just for itself as confirms Frank Gonzalez “Monastrell is one of those wines too that is so soft, the acidity and the tannins are so integrated and soft that you can have it by itself.”

Fact sheet Juan Gil Silver Label
Producer: Bodegas Juan Gil, S.L
Region: Jumilla
Varietal: Monastrell
Format: 0,75L
Alcohol content: 15%
Temperature: 16-18°C
Robert Parker: 91 points
Food pairing: All types of meat. roast and baked, heavy meat dishes like casseroles and game, poultry, smoked seafood, charcuterie, tapas, cured and blue cheeses, dark chocolate.

bodegasjuangil.com/en
Paraje de la Aragona, Carretera de Fuente Alamo, S/N, 30520 Jumilla, Murcia, Spain
00 34 968 43 50 22