A 90 Point Spanish Value from Juan Gil – $12.95

If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been way in to the Rhone varietals lately.  High quality, value priced Rhones are coming from the U.S., France, Australia and Spain, in impressive quantities.  In addition to taking mid-day naps, the Spanish are known for their unique take on Rhone grape Grenache (one of my favorites), but they also excel at another popular Rhone grape, Monastrell, or what we know as Mourvedre.  This grape, along with Syrah and Grenache are the main ingredients of Chateauneuf-du-Pape reds.

Too many weird sounding foreign words in this post?  Don’t be intimidated.  This is just fermented grape juice and it doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating.  Look for a post on how to understand international wines soon.

For this international wine, all you need to know is that it tastes awesome.  The Mourvedre grape’s signature earthiness comes through in this wine and creates a complexity and depth of flavor that isn’t easily matched in this price range.  There is absolutely no way I would have guessed I was drinking a $13 bottle when I first took a sip of this wine.  It’s serious.

The full name of this wine is Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil Juan Gil.  That naming convention is typical of Spanish wines and may be confusing to many.  Think of the name this way: imagine that I started a winery called Mason Hewitt Vineyards.  I might make several wines of different names but my main wine is simply called Mason Hewitt.  So, in full, my main wine is called Mason Hewitt Vineyards Mason Hewitt.

Regardless of the name, this is a wine to watch for every year.  It’s been rated at least 90 points for the last seven vintages – an impressive track record indeed.  Spain continues to set the world standard for QPR (Quality Price Ratio), which is why you will find a high concentration of Spanish wines on this blog.

Buy Here: 2008 Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil Juan Gil $12.95

International Wine Cellar 90 points

“($16) Made from vines that are reportedly 50 years old Vivid ruby. An expressive, mineral-accented bouquet displays blackberry, cherry cola and smoked meat, with suave floral and spice qualities that gain strength with aeration. Juicy and nicely focused, with precise dark berry flavors and silken texture. The spice and smoke notes linger on a long, sappy finish. This will benefit from a bit more bottle age or a little air.”