Bodegas Juan Gil Comoloco Monastrell

This winery originated in 1916, when Juan Gil Giménez, great-grandfather of the present generation, started getting involved in the world of wine, building a winery in the heart of Jumilla. His son, Juan Gil Guerrero, dedicated his life to this world. But the ones who really consolidated the project were Juan Gil González and his brother Paco, the founder's grandsons. They forged an image of quality, efficiency and reliability which the present generation is trying to maintain and improve as much as possible. 

At present, the Gil Vera family, Juan Gil Lencina's great-grandchildren, are the owners of Bodegas Juan Gil. They decided to start a new cellar on the property that the family owns in Jumilla, in order to get it adapted to the market. This new cellar is situated in "Término de Arriba" in the northwest of the city. It is so called because it is the highest point in Jumilla. It has been a winegrowing area for centuries and yields grapes of extraordinary quality.

Ripe cherry, plum and cracked pepper on the fragrant nose. Bursting with silky, spicy and supple fruit and seamless in texture. Good closing lift and freshness. Lots of appealing fruit here. A steal!

Full-bodied red wines like Monastrell (a.k.a. Mourvedre) beg for rich foods to absorb the high tannin. Look for meats with lots of umami like beef short ribs, pork shoulder, barbeque, lamb, rabbit, pork sausage and veal. The spices that complement the floral character in Monastrell are regional spices found in Provence, France such as lavendar, rosemary and thyme. Vegetarians should look towards lentils, wild rice and shitake/portabello mushrooms for their flavor base to create a dish for any full-bodied red wine. Using black pepper and soy sauce is also a great way to add umami to vegetarian cuisine.