Bodegas Juan Gil is a Spanish wine producer in the Jumilla region.  The wine simply titled "Juan Gil" is made from 100% Monastell grapes.  This same grape is known as Mourvedre in France, and Mataro in Australia and the USA.  It happens to be one of my favorite grapes.  It requires fairly hot weather to flourish.

Those who like mourvedre based wines owe it to themselves to try the 2004 Juan Gil.  Full retail is only $15, and it can usually be found for less.  I think I paid about $13 for it at the Albertsons supermarket in Del Mar on Via De La Valle.

The wine has a nice earthy, smoky nose and plenty of sweet fruit on the palate.  This wine is much more approachable young than most of the Australian and French Mourvedre/Mataro wines that I have had.

Just a tad short of 4 stars