Pure 100% Monastrell Grapes Wine Varietal

Bodegas Juan Gil is an interesting wine even before one removes the cork and pours the wine. Hailing from Spain, it’s rather unassuming when listing itself as a simple red wine from Jumilla.

Start in Jumilla

Jumilla then begins the interesting part of the story of Juan Gil. Jumilla has long been a wine-producing region in southern Spain. In 1989, long after most other Spanish wine growers had dealt with the bug, Jumilla suffered a phylloxera attack. As phylloxera spread throughout the region, grapevines succumbed and the wine growers in Jumilla lost nearly everything. There is no choice, after phylloxera, but to either replant or give up.

Monastrells  Return

Many growers chose to replant with Monastrell as it is a native grape particularly suited to the region’s continental, drought-prone climate.  Monastrell requires a Mediterranean climate to mature properly, with long, luminous summers. It has been so successful and approximately 85% of Jumilla’s vineyards are now planted in Monastrell vines.  The Monastrell grape is showing remarkable results in the hands of skilled winemakers and Jumilla wines have, therefore, begun to make an impact abroad for good reason.

With a better understanding of the grape, it was time to open up the wine. (more…)