Bodegas Juan Gil

The origins of Bodegas Juan Gil date back to 1916, when Juan Gil Jiménez built the first winery. Today it’s the fourth generation at the helm, combining traditional expertise with more contemporary equipment and knowledge. Juan Gil Guerrero, son of the founder, first, and his grandson Juan Gil González, later, improved and consolidated the winery, applying the traditional knowledge of the trade passed down from father to son. Today, the fourth generation links tradition with the technical revolution. Since the construction of the new winery, many things have changed. The new way of making wine requires technology: rigorous control of the winemaking temperature, stainless steel tanks and excellent hygienic conditions throughout the process ensure high and consistent quality levels every year. But wine is not only “made” in the winery, the first thing is the vineyard. For this reason, the location of the winery next to the vineyards allows for the constant monitoring of the evolution of the grapes, a necessary aspect for producing a great wine. New times, new wines, a mixture of old vines and new techniques.
A family company since its inception, Viñas Familia Gil (aka Gil Family Estates), better known as Bodegas Juan Gil, is one of Spain’s most important wine producers.
The present-day winery, which began operating in 2002, is surrounded by 120 ha of vineyards mainly planted with the Monastrell grape, the real star of the Gil project, located in Jumilla D.O.P.. The Vineyards are located between 700 and 850 metres above sea level, on sandy and limestone soil, stony on the surface and very poor in nutrients, with a great capacity to retain the little water it receives. It is the kingdom of Monastrell, a variety typical of the region, present exclusively or in a very high percentage in all our wines. It is surprising that from the sand and limestone screes, a geological legacy from the Triassic period, such a rich myriad of qualities can be obtained. The climate is extreme, with strong contrasts between day and night temperatures and rain, practically non-existent with an annual average of only 317 mm. The harsh conditions imposed by the climate and the terrain mean that the production yield is very low, with small fruits and a lot of concentration, which give rise to wines with great structure, tasty, intense in colour and aromas.
Along with the old vines, over forty years old, and younger ones of the Monastrell variety, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot also grow, which adapt well to the soil conditions and provide intense nuances of spices and fruit to the wine blends, but it’s the old Monastrell vines that define the character of this firm’s red wines. A varietal white wine from Moscatel de Grano Menudo (Juan Gil Blanco) is also worth mentioning.