Juan Gil Blue Label Jumilla 2020
Brilliant red in the glass. A lightly roasted aroma complemented by fresh berries. Savory notes of earth and black tea balanced with a rich core of black fruits. Round tannins, good acidity.
The Monastrell vineyards used to produce this wine are situated at an elevation of 2,800 feet above sea level with an average vine age of 55 years. They are situated on chalky and sandy hillside soils with excellent drainage, allowing them to ripen in optimal conditions. The production does not exceed one ton per acre. The Cabernet and Syrah vineyards are located at 2,300 feet above sea level with an average vine age of 15 years. The fermentation is carried out separately in small open tank fermenters. The wine is then aged for 18 months in new French and American oak barrels.
Blend: 60% Monastrell, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon & 10% Syrah
Dry-farmed, no pesticides or herbicides, hand-harvested, Vegan.
Critical Acclaim
92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I also tested the 2019 Juan Gil (blue label), the wine is formerly known as 18 Months, the time it spends in the barrel. They use 100% new oak which is a mixture of French and American. The wine is ripe, oaky, and heady (15.5% alcohol), but I felt a change in the oak, which seemed more integrated. When I asked Miguel Gil, he told me they had changed the toast, using less toasted barrels, from medium+ to medium, and that shows in the wine. They still believe this wine should have new oak to give it aging potential. They have also introduced optical sorting of the grapes and eliminated the raisins (by shape) and the unripe grains (by color), and which adds precision and cleanliness. 30,000 bottles were produced. It was bottled in June 2021.
