Wine Region: Jumilla

(2026) Made at the Bodegas El Nido, part of the Gil family's business, 'Clio' is an organic wine, a blend of ancient vine Monastrell and old vine Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 24 months in new barrels of French and American oak. With 15% alcohol this is a blockbuster wine, heady with fragrant cherry, plum and a bouquet of spices, there's a classic cedar and pencil-shaving quality too. In the mouth it is muscular and dense, but there is a real fleshy sweetness and succulence to the black berry fruit too that gives it juiciness. The tannins are super refined and the acidity, a pert cherry acid foundation, cuts through the chocolate and meaty richness of the chewy finish. Drink now with a chunk protein, or cellar for a decade or more. Of its imposing style, a terrific wine.

(2025) From Jumilla where Monastrell (aka the Rhône Valley and Bandol's Mourvèdre) is a speciality. Grapes grow at 700 metres altitude, and have an average age of 25 years in this unoaked, supple but powerful red. Typical notes of jammy red fruit are joined by chestnut and sweet earthiness, and a definite sappy briar note. In the mouth the wine is medium-bodied and supple, with plenty of sweet, dark fruit touching on prune and liquorice. If you are thinking of beef or venison this Christmas, this could work at a shade under £10 from several suppliers.

(2025) This organic red wine is made from Monastrell, the speciality of Juan Gil from their historic home turf of Jumilla. Interesting it is also labelled as 'low histamine' at < 1ppm, histamine being a factor in some wines that some blame for 'not agreeing with them'. Rapid fermentation in stainless steel with very precise control of conditions that are said to promote microorganisms that inhibit the formation of histamines. From limestone soils at 2,300 feet, this vivid crimson wine has an undercurrent of stony minerals to cherry and lightly smoky fruit. The palate bursts with juicy red fruit flavour, vivacious and bright, before a very welcome core of cleansing acidity and modest but quite chocolaty and rich tannins add depth. Price and stockist quoted for a previous vintage at time of review.

(2024) This is the 'Silver Label' bottling, priced above the regular yellow and below the blue label versions. The Monastrell used in the production of this organic certified wine come from 50- to 60-year-old vines on chalky and rocky limestone soils. It spends 12 months maturing in French oak barrels. Deep and ripe red fruits, hints of leather and tobacco spice, a certain sense of dusty heat on the nose but also a garrigue-like floral and herbal background. The fruit is sweet, plush and mouth-filling, a bittersweet liquorice and endive bite, keen tannins and the smoothing background of the barrel. A big mouthful of wine this.

(2024) Jumilla is a very dry region, in 2022 the first rain of the year did not fall until May. That, together with these chalky soils, rather suits the Muscat variety. This has typically floral and flamboyant aromatics with a hint of geranium leaf. Nice texture in the mouth, aided by small amount of the blend aged in old oak and concrete eggs. Plenty of juicy stone fruits, but tempered by citrus. It's a dry wine, clean, mineral, the finish tangy and well balanced. A dry Muscat with character.

(2024) Intended as a wine with ageing potential, this is a blend of 30-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon and 75- to 95-year-old Monastrell, farmed organically and made in collaboration with New Zealand winemaker Chris Ringland. It is aged 22 months in barrels, mostly French with some American oak. Balsamic, fudge-like and vanilla-laden, there's such a depth of cassis and glossy black cherry. The nose suggests a sumptuous palate and that is precisely what's delivered: liquidised plums, blackcurrants and spices layered with 90% cocoa black chocolate, the texture so creamy. Hedonism written unapologetically large, and quite something.

(2023) The Monastrell (Mourvèdre) is grown in certified organic vineyards at 700-900 metres above sea level. Vines are bush-trained and unirrigated so yields are naturally low. A new optical sorting system uses a system of cameras and computers to select only fruit in excellent condition - an expensive sign of a quality-conscious producer. The wines spends four to five months in American and French oak barriques, second and third fill. It has a little hint of transparency on the rim, suggesting a wine that's not too heavily extracted. Aromas are of fresh berries and spices, a hint of something like pomegranate as well as richer aromas. In the mouth this is really juicy and mouth-watering stuff, the fruit is ripe and sweet, but there's plenty of acidity and a grainy hint of tannin, the barrel ageing adding just a warming undercurrent.  

(2023) From an estate founded in 1975 and specialising in Monastrell (Mourvèdre), this is more meaty, earthy and herbal than jammy fruit-driven, which Monastrell can sometimes be. Subtle dark chocolate and spicy plum compote begins to emerge. in the mouth, there is black fruit and plum skins, that dry, savoury, lightly nutty and earthy tannin character adding to that effect. There's a lightness to this despite the 14% alcohol, with its quite breezy and dry character, though the finish is brought up a little short by a lemony tartness to the acidity.

(2022) From Jumilla in southeast Spain, a delightfully vibrant Monastrell, or Mourvèdre, unoaked and celebrating bursting red and black berry fruitines. There's a floral aspect on the nose, very violet-tinged, as well as a slightly dusty but ripe cherry fruit. In the mouth, bags of punch and flavour, but it's a smooth devil this, creamy-textured and with very rounded tannins, a good level of acidity giving the needed freshness. A pasta and chilli-basher for sure, but watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas. Use the wine-searcher link to find other stockists.

(2017) The sixty-year-old Monastrell (Mourvèdre) here is planted on its own roots, grown by an 83-year-old Pedro, a fourth generation farmer in Jumilla, in the south east of Spain. There's a pure, ashy, dry black fruit on the nose, very direct and bold, some juicy currants and a hint of something violet-like. In the mouth the sweetness of the fruit is abundant, but as it fills the mouth with juicy ripe flavour, the firm tannins and edge of acidity clamps down, giving this savoury appeal, a little herbal and nutty dry note adding to that. Is there a little oak here? It certainly has some rounding and texture, in a lovely, easy drinking but quite powerful style.