Merum.
Jumilla.
Juan Jiménez makes beautifully elegant wines with all the intensity and tipicity of the Mediterranean Monastrell. In Jumilla the weather is extremely dry and hot in Summer and mild in Winter. Rainfall is scarce with an average of 10-12 inches a year. The soil is composed mainly of dark limestone with a lime crust of medium permeability which has good properties to retain humidity. This type of soil enables the vine to withstand long periods of drought in an arid region like Jumilla.
The Monastrell is an indigenous Spanish grape variety perfectly adapted to the extreme weather conditions found in Jumilla. Monastrell in this highly-stressed, arid weather, yields an impressively-low 1.5 tons per acre that are the base for Jumilla's famously concentrated, deep and rich wines. Syrah, although non indigenous, has adapted exceptionally to Jumilla's dry weather.
The vintage is carefully handpicked and the grapes are separated into small 30 lb cases and taken immediately to the winery. Carried in small quantities, there is no danger of the grape skins breaking and sparking an undesired premature fermentation.
The winery installations are a good illustration of the passing of time and the evolution of winemaking over six decades; old oak vats are juxtaposed with modern stainless steel vats and Bordeaux casks.
These Wines, due to their special charateristics (little or no fining and filtration, less time in oak, longer lees contact, etc), are specially created for Quality wines of Spain for the US market. They are limited in quantity and are bottled to our exact specifications.