Spanish wines had been heading to the top of our list of favorites anyway, and they recently got another big push in that direction when the Juan Gil Family Wines debuted their collection in Chicago. This delightful winemaker’s portfolio tasting was put together by the importers and distributors at Heritage Wine Cellars and held in the sleek and modern yet warm and sexy environs of Maple & Ash, 8 W. Maple St.
Members of the Juan Gil family and winemaking teams brought their wines to Chicago where they told their stories to guests who enjoyed samples of dozens of delicious wines, including the limited release of Juan Gil 100 Anniversario. Maple and Ash provided delicious appetizers to complement the wines, and the hundredth anniversary chocolate-and-whipped-cream cake was to die for.
Starting with the white wines of a beautiful and expressive winemaker named Belinda Thomson, we were hooked. The whites include many made with Albarino grapes and come in a range from crisp yet fruity to perfectly rounded and rich. And the reds only got better and better – elegant and refined, complex and satisfying. Some of the reds are deep inky purply red color, others ranging from rose red to berry, and from garnet to mahogany. Intense, with great mouth-feel and long finishes. Representative wines included those from:
