Jose Gil 2023 Releases!
Jan 30, 2025
It brings us much pleasure to offer the latest wines from Jose Gil, another fantastic release from the jewel in our crown, these wines get better year on year and we love them dearly, the November trip is now the highlight of the year.
‘The general sensation of the wines is very good, with plenty of fruit and fluidity accompanied by the expression in the mouth of the soil from which they come, and the work in the cellar has been as careful as possible to maintain freshness and elegance at the same time. We are very happy with the results, we hope you enjoy them as much as we did making them.’
- Jose Gil
Vintage Report
After what was likely to be one of the most difficult vintages since 2017, it
was with relief that what greeted us at the Castilla in San Vicente were faces of good humour and confidence. In fact, all the 2023 wines I had tasted up to the point of meeting Jose and Vicky in November had been balanced, aromatic and full of energy, bringing to the fore the words of Carlos Mazo in 2022, that “...all Rioja vintages are good vintages really, it’s Rioja, not Chablis”.
High rainfall, hail and heat were the hallmark of 23, but these arid vineyards are able to soak a lot of this up, and the topography of the slopes of the Cantabrias in the Sonsierra Occidentale can easily cope with the odd rainstorm. Hail battered
good chunks of El Bardallo and Ribas, meaning quantities are well down here, but thankfully the bulk of the vines missed the ice, such is the whim of Hail. Heat in August stopped photosynthesis, giving rise to concern over acidity levels dropping
and phenolic ripening stalling. As it turned out, a mild September with rain when needed brought the vines on, and harvest on the 17th September.
The fruit as always is hand harvested, and the individual ferments and blends can be found below.
The wines landed today!
As ever, tiny amounts of the single vineyard wines. please register your interest and we will do our best to allocate fairly.
*Don’t forget, if you want to taste the new releases we are have a night on the 20th Feb where you can enjoy a bottle of the ‘23 Sonsierra at Chesters with a plate of lamb in true Rioja style!
£45 per head, includes a half a bottle per person and a plate of delicious lamb, nothing fancy, just let the wine do the talking, bookings from 5pm.
2022 El Calado del Espino Blanco
Very excited to have the first white release from Jose & Vicky.
Jose and Vicky first presented a white wine to us early in 2022, and since we have been desperate for it. However labeling issues meant that their preferred name of Maia, after their daughter, could not be used, despite being corked with this name on it. So, it was shelved for drinking at home.
This white wine comes from two vineyards located in Labastida. 100% Viura of which 70% of the wine is fermented in 500L French oak barrels and the remaining 30%
in 54L demijohns, fermentation takes place in the medieval castle cellar where the name of the wine comes from. “Calado” is a word that means underground cellar.
The nose is waxy with white floral notes, citrus and a hint of peach. The palate is silken, with seamless acidity and weight. The mid palate has perfect tension and a note of Mediterranean herbs.
£70 per bottle
Village wine made from two vineyards aged between 45 and 100 years old. Tempranillo, 30% Garnacha and a small percentage of white varieties, such as Viura and Palomino.
More Grenache this year, tempering the blue notes and umami undertones on the nose, adding a brighter red fruit tone. Similar, velvet tannins to San Vicente, with a saline edge and vibrant acidity, which sets it apart from 2022. Aged 100% in Barrels, which softens the edges and steers the wines through the palate with grace and elegance.
£50 per bottle
£270 case x6
2023 Viñedos En San Vicente de la Sonsierra
A village wine made up of several vineyards located in the high part of San Vicente, at an altitude of 510m and above, Tempranillo & Garnacha and a small percentage of white varieties Viura & Garnacha Blanca.
Immediately perfumed, supple fruit and velveteen tannins. Reminiscent of 2021 on the nose, with a soft herbal tone, cranberry and plum fruit on the palate, with more density than 2022 and tannins sit in the wine well, thanks to a higher percentage of Tempranillo. Precise and well knitted to the finish. Perhaps a classic example of a grower getting to know his vineyards, one of the best Sonsierra I have tried out of the traps.
£50 per bottle
£270 case x6
50 year old vineyards located in the Bardallo valley, in San Vicente de la Sonsierra at an altitude of 540 m. Tempranillo with a small percentage of Viura aged for 10 months in 500L French oak barrels in the castle’s cellar. This is fast becoming one of my favourite plots of land in Rioja, this cuvee is aromatic, lifted and elegant. Fine grained tannins and seamless acidity, encapsulating the best of both village’s styles.
£70 per bottle
£390 case x6
50 year old vineyards located in the valley of La Canoca, in San Vicente de la Sonsierra at an altitude of 600m. Tempranillo with a small percentage of Viura again.
The 1st vintage using the highest vineyards in the valley, dark & brooding wine with herbal notes and a ferric tone, so typical of this terroir. Always seems the hardest wine to taste pre-release on tasting young, and yet this vintage has a bright red fruit high tone and spice to add complexity. Tannins are well integrated, lean mineral core of fruit and a flourish of black fruit and herb to finish. It will be more open than previous vintages, but I would always leave this a couple of years to really come into form.
£70 per bottle
£390 case x6
2023 Camino de Ribas La Cóncova
Bush vines located in La Cóncova, Beautiful high altitude vineyard surrounded by a lot of native herbs as rosemary, thyme, lavender. Grenache, Tempranillo a small amount of white Grenache.
Just simply a beautiful wine. Delicate red fruit, sweet spice, floral notes building to cranberry and pomegranate. Effortless all the way through, with silky tannins and energetic acidity. What is so perfect is the fact there is so much concentration in the wine, but it shows it’s all with little work, a perfect example of a terroir style Rioja.
£100 per bottle
Please do click the links above to buy!
For the Camino de Ribas La Cóncova or El Calado del Espino Blanco give us a call on 01873856565 - Limited quantities available!
Team Chester’s
