2003 Bodegas El Nido El Nido

Bodegas El Nido is a 100-acre estate in the Valle de La Aragona, in the Jumilla region of Spain. It was founded in 2002 and is a collaboration between the renowned Australian winemaker Chris Ringland and the Gil Family. Grapes grown are Monastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon. Two wines are produced, the Clio, which is 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the flagship wine, El Nido, which is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Monastrell. About 5,000 bottles of El Nido are produced annually. Wine Advocate has consistently rated both the Clio and El Nido in the high 90s.

Jumilla is in the province of Murcia, and there are 80,000 vineyard acres within the appellation. The appellation takes its name from the municipality of Jumilla and it enjoys long hot summer and cold winters, with weather tempered by the Mediterranean Sea. The land is made up of wide valley and plateaus, with vineyards mostly between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. Having been awarded Denominación de Origen status in 1966, it is one of Spain’s oldest appellations, and it has long been noteworthy for its rich, tannic, red wines made from Monastrell, the Spanish name for Mourvèdre. The other red grapes authorized under appellation rules are Tempranillo, Garnacha Tintorera, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot. Official white wine grapes are Airén, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscatel, Pedro Ximénex and Malvasia. Producers including El Nido and Bodegas Luzon have made Jumilla go-to appellation for savvy wine buyers looking for high quality at modest prices.