Bodegas Juan Gil Silver Label 2017

Bodegas Juan Gil is the Gil Family Estate's flagship winery, founded in 1916 by Juan Gil Giménez. Over 107 years, the winery has been consolidated and improved, applying technological advancements to the traditional knowledge passed down through the years. Today the 4th and 5th generations of the Gil family run the winery and group. Located in Southeastern Spain, about 60 miles from the Mediterranean coast, the region experiences a continental climate which is quite extreme: summers are hot with intense sun and winter is long and cold. Diurnal temperature fluctuations are also extreme and rainfall is limited to about 12 inches per year. The vineyards are planted between 2,000 and 2,800 feet above sea level on sandy and rocky limestone soils that are very poor in nutrients, but have a great capacity to hold what little rain does fall. Organic and dry farming is quite typical in Jumilla due to these conditions. Jumilla is known for Monastrell, with over 80% of vineyards planted with it. The Gil family's vineyards are between 40 and 100 years old with very low yields (aprox. 2,200 lb/ac). Monastrell is a thick-skin grape that thrives in the harsh conditions of the climate and terrain of Jumilla, leading to wines with great structure and intense color and complex aromas. 

All of the Gil family's estate vineyards are dry-farmed without the use of any pesticides or herbicides and the winery is fully solar powered and "Zero-Waste" (by product is composted, water recycled). The addition of sulfites is kept to the bare minimum to conserve the wines and no other additives are used. The Gil family's commitment to sustainable farming and winemaking doesn't stop there; they are also Gold members of the International Wineries for Climate Action, an international organization which holds the ambitious goal of reaching Net Zero emissions by 2050, all of which requires investments in renewable energy, further shifting agricultural and business practices to reduce their carbon footprint, as well as instilling a culture of sustainability across all aspects of their business.