#ChampagneWishes #GilEstates #HonoroVera #Wine Collection of #ORGANICMONASTRELL #MONASTRELL #CABERNETSAUVIGNON #MERLOT Each #HighlyRecommended by @ManhattanPeachy #WhomYouKnow #PeachyDeegan
It's not who you know, it's Whom You Know and we are delighted to meet Gil Family Estates of Spain, through their wine!
Bodegas Juan Gil, founded in 1916 by Juan Gil Jiménez, is the Gil Family's first winery, created with the goal of showcasing the quality of the native Monastrell grape. For over 104 years, the winery has been consolidated and improved, applying technological advancements to the traditional knowledge passed down through the years. The appellation of Jumilla, located about 60 miles inland from the southern Mediterranean coast in Murcia, is known for the Monastrell varietal, with over 80% of vineyards planted with it. The majority of these vineyards average in age between 40 and 100 years with very low yields (approx. 2,200 lb/ac). Monastrell is a thick skinned grape that thrives in the harsh condtions of the climate and terrain, leading to wines with great structure and intense color and aromas. If you have yet to befriend this grape, all we have to say is what are you waiting for and this is the line of wine you should start with.
The Honoro Vera wines are produced at Gil Family Estates wineries in four appellations in Spain: Jumilla, Calatayud, Rueda, and Rioja. In each region, the goal is to showcase the character of the native varietals. These wines are made from high quality grapes, planted at high altitudes (generally over 2,300 feet), from vines of at least 30 years of age with little production The soil beds of limestone and sand offer very poor nutrients, which is quite ideal for this type of crop. The end result gives the wines complexity and balance that overdelivers for the price. Fruit forward, with soft tannins, these wines may possess impressive history but the taste is new and fresh.
The grapes/organic grapes used to produce the Honoro Vera and Honoro Vera Organic wines are from various vineyards, spread across Spain and are generally located at over 2,300 feet in elevation. These various vineyards are at least over 30 years of age with little production due to the fact the vines are planted in a bed of limestone and sand. These soil beds offer very poor nutrients, which is quite ideal for this type of crop. The end results are the outstanding, award winning wines of Honoro Vera. We were highly impressed with the rich, vibrant red varieties we sipped and this is our first experience ever with this wine.
In food and wine history on Whom You Know for the country of Spain, we have included the highly esteemed Culinary King Rufino Lopez (see him here with David Villa, whom we also interviewed many times through NYCFC's first season in New York) and featured his late restaurant Solera many times. Currently our favorite Spanish restaurant on Whom You Know is El Pote, a staple of Manhattan fine dining since 1977 (say a prayer for our friend Enrique Torres).
Their website tells us:
We take pride in Time
More than a century has passed with Viñas Familia Gil since we bottled our first wine. With the patience given to the land of our ancestors, we take care of our old vineyards, and we grow with the incorporation of small wineries from the main wine producing regions of Spain.
We are also a family. Thus, we unite, in a single brand, a selection of wines from different origins, yet connected by the spirit of quality and tradition. Different characteristics of native grapes, joined by the same family roots from where the first vines emerged. We are what they’ve endured.
HONORO VERA ORGANIC MONASTRELL
the favorite of the four
BRAND
Honoro Vera
REGION
D.O. Jumilla
VARIETALS
100% Organic Monastrell Grapes
AGING
None
ALCOHOL
14.0%
TASTING NOTES
Complex nose of ripe plums and rich red fruit, combined with licorice and fig characters. On the palate, the wine is generous, rich, and spicy – weighty with good, concentrated red and black fruit, fine tannins, and fresh acidity on the finish. CERTIFIED USDA/EU ORGANIC
The striking color of the red was evocative of the essential robust flavor of this uniquely organic wine which resonated on our palates with notes of quality and excellence. This is exactly the kind of strong red we seek in our reviews and instead of clicking your ruby red heels and saying there's no place like home, we suggest you open this winner with your Coravin (savor it and keep it fresh for later) and instead click your glasses and say "Cheers!" because for all practically purposes covid is over, New York is back and we have found new wine to rave about. This wine will carry you through to the fall and colder weather seasons, but in our opinion, there is never a bad day for a strong red.
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HONORO VERA MONASTRELL
second from right below in the collection
BRAND
Honoro Vera
REGION
D.O. Jumilla
VARIETAL
100% Monastrell
AGING
None
ALCOHOL
14.5%
TASTING NOTES
Aromas of blackberry and marionberry on the nose. A medium bodied, lush wine with good structure and balance. Satisfying finish with strong tannins and proper acidity. A very drinkable wine which will show well over the next 2-3 years. The fragrance of this amalgamation of dark, robust notes of such lavish berries is ideal to pair with all carnivorous endeavors as well as hard cheeses you may befriend. Though the first one featured directly above this is organic and this one is not, we did not notice a huge difference and think you should absolutely go for both; we'd draw a parallel to shoe shopping as we recently referenced in Il Cortile's new review where we found their Amarone laudable: the sky is blue, shopping is fun, and robust reds from Italy or Spain are both varieties to seek, organic and not. When you go shoe shopping, you want the shoe in both colors of the style-like you will want both the organic and regular Monastrell in this circumstance.
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HONORO VERA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
BRAND
Honoro Vera
REGION
D.O. Jumilla
VARIETAL
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
AGING
4 months French & American oak
ALCOHOL
14.5%
TASTING NOTES
This delicious wine is softly textured, full bodied, and well balanced. A ripely flavored wine with moderate depth and a long finish, tasting of plum, cherry, red licorice, and modest oak. Great value. We like this Cabernet for a more casual occasion like a picnic in Central Park or a sailboat trip. If we were stranded on a desert island with only one bottle of wine, over our 13-year history without a doubt we would be choosing a Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, restaurant owners that know Peachy best start pouring it for her when she walks in and in general it is our personal gold standard of wine. This is one to add to your Cabernet collection says our panel of discriminating experts due to its fragrant, exhilarating flavorful elegance. A powerful choice, this is a must for your dinner tonight.
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HONORO VERA MERLOT
BRAND
Honoro Vera
REGION
D.O. Jumilla
VARIETAL
100% Merlot
AGING
4 months French & American oak
ALCOHOL
15.0%
TASTING NOTES
Sweet, musky aroma of cherry, mint, dark chocolate and vanilla. Supple, spicy and lively with fresh cherry and mocha flavors that become pronounced as it breathes. It finishes with broad, supple tannins complemented by a refreshing spiciness. This is the little black dress of Merlots and its versatility is indeed impressive. The dryness is perfection and it comes off as soft and plump and on a hotter day in the summer, this would be our choice of these four wines.
#ChampagneWishes #GilEstates #HonoroVera #Wine Collection of #ORGANICMONASTRELL #MONASTRELL #CABERNETSAUVIGNON #MERLOT Each Are #HighlyRecommended by @ManhattanPeachy #WhomYouKnow #PeachyDeegan
GIL FAMILY STATES
Paraje de la Aragona
Fuente Álamo road
30520 JUMILLA
Murcia, Spain
Gil Family Estates owns or controls approximately 1,766 hectares (4,364 acres) of vineyards throughout their
eleven wineries physically scattered across ten different D.O.S, Protected Designations of Origin, in Spain.
Spain is naturally suited to organic viticulture because of the generally dry climate, winds, and sun, in
addition to having a very high percentage of vineyards planted with old bush vines of indigenous varietals.
This leads to vineyards that are better adapted to the climate and able to survive short term weather
variations. An investment in technology coupled with an unwavering focus on indigenous
terroir-driven wines from low yielding, ancient vines result in the production of higher quality wines. The family has
been farming the land using sustainable practices for over a century: they use no herbicides or pesticides to
sustain healthy soils, conserve water by dry-farming vineyards, hand harvest to reduce the use of fuels and
ensure the best quality fruit, and use a worm farm to compost and create organic fertilizer.
GFE now has three wineries (Bodegas Juan Gil, Cellers Can Blau, and Morca) completely off the grid,
powered solely by solar panels. Furthermore, Bodegas Morca has successfully completed Leed’s certification
and by 2024, a significant portion of our premium and super premium wines will be certified organic!
These practices reduce the winery’s impact on the environment and show their true love for the land.
