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Bodegas Mayoral 1890 named after the
date when it was founded,, has also had considerable
success in the U.S. with their balanced, richly flavored,
inexpensive Jumilla wines. Wines from this bodega include
the unoaked Mayoral, a blend of 60% Monastrell and 40%
Tempranillo; a crianza (12 months in oak), which contains
70% Monastrell; and a reserva with Monastrell, Tempranillo
and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. They also make a Cabernet
Sauvignon (100%), Syrah (100%), and Mayoral Selección
(a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Monastrell and Tempranillo),
all of which spend just four months in oak.
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| Bodegas Bleda Winemaker Director- Juan Jimenez |
Bodegas Bleda produces the well-known
Castillo de Jumilla brand and exports 85% of its production,
mostly to northern Europe. These relatively inexpensive
wines are very well-made and show attractive, easy-drinking
peppery, black currant, blackberry and chocolate flavors.
All these very well balanced wines - even their bright,
fruity rosado - are made with a minimum of 55%-60% Monastrell,
40% Tempranillo, and sometimes 5% Merlot. There is also
a Castillo de Jumilla Monastrell (100%) and the first-rate
Divus, made with 90-95% Monastrell and 5-10% Cabernet
Sauvignon or Merlot.
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| Finca Luzon |
Finca Luzón, an impressive
estate vineyard planted en espaldera (on wires),
is surrounded by stark, grey mountains. They produce
well-made wines, including several Monastrell-based
(50%) blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo
that are aged in new French and American oak. They also
make a delicious Monastrell rosado; a rich, sweet 80%
Monastrell Finca Luzón; Castillo de Luzón,
a crianza (aged one year in oak) with 75% Monastrell;
and their top-of-the-line Altos de Luzón, a blend
of Monastrell from 50-year-old vines, Cabernet Sauvigon
and Tempranillo..
Casa de la Ermita, another impressive
small winery that overlooks a vast valley of vines,
is drawing attention with their 100% Viognier white
wine; a young red that is a blend of Monastrell, Tempranillo,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah; a Casa de la Ermita
crianza made with a predominance of Monastrell and Tempranillo,
laced with Cabernet Sauvignon; an organically farmed
Ecológico Monastrell (100%); and a set of Monasterio
de Santa Ana mono-varietals–Merlot, Monastrell,
and Syrah–all of which spend three months in oak.
But the Casa de la Ermita wine that is drawing the
most interest from Spanish wine aficionados is their
100% Petit Verdot, aged 12 months in new American (75%)
and French oak.
Julia Roch e Hijos Casa Castillo:
The Jumilla winery that has earned the most kudos from
both the Spanish and international press is Julia Roch
e Hijos Casa Castillo. Their success is based on some
splendid old vines vineyards, some of which are well
over 50 years old, planted on ungrafted French rootstock
in soils that show pronounced terroir. Many of the Casa
Castillo wines contain some of the best Monastrell in
the Jumilla D.O.
The Casa Castilla 2001, blend of 50% monastrell and
50% tempranillo, was a rich mélange of sweet
blackberry, currant, chocolate and licorice with a graphite
mineral finish. The Casa Castillo Monastrell (85%) is
sweet and rich with blackberry and currant flavors.
The Casa Castillo Crianza, a Monastrell with 10% Syrah,
shows even more of those rich blackberry, currant, chocolate
and licorice flavors, again laced with an intriguing
mineral finish. Their Las Gravas, a concentrated blend
of 70% Monastrell, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Syrah,
is a tannic wine crammed with cherry, currant and blackberry
flavors.
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