Bodegas El Nido "Clio" 2023
(Jumilla, Spain) - [VM 93] [WA 93]

About this Wine:
Based in Jumilla with winemaking roots going back over a century, Gil Family Estates comprises eight wineries spread throughout seven D.O.'s in Spain and are famous around the world for bold flavors, lavish texture and alluring spice.

The Bodegas El Nido winery is located in the Valle de La Aragona, inside the Murcia district of Jumilla. The vineyards are 76.8 acres of very old Monastrell vines (also known as Mataró or Mourvèdre) all vaso trained and oriented northeast, and 28.8 acres of 30-year old Cabernet Sauvignon vines on north facing hills. The vineyards have a foot deep layer of chalky stones over substrata of sandy soil. The Bodegas El Nido is a collaboration of the Gil Family and winemaker Chris Ringland, one of the best Australian enologists.

Clio has been rated 91-97 points for the past 13 consecutive years by acclaimed wine critics. The vineyards consist of 12Ha (29.7 acres) of Cabernet Sauvignon and 32Ha (79 acres) of very old Monastrell, with a very low yield. The grapes are harvested in small baskets to prevent bruising, and only the best bunches are selected. Fermented in stainless steel, aged in French oak for 24 months.

Notes from the Winemaker:
Bodegas El Nido is a project from the Gil Vera Family from Jumilla together with Australian winemaker Chris Ringland; it was born in 2002. The wines, Clio and El Nido, come from the grapes of the oldest vineyards that the Gil family owns around the winery. In the 2009 vintage, a 100% Syrah called Corteo was first produced. They have 46 hectares of vineyards and produce 70,000 bottles. Both 2018 and 2019 were very challenging vintages in the zone and they had to discard up to 30% of the grapes. 2019, perhaps more challenging because of the torrential rains in September, comes through as a little fresher and more balanced. They expect better 2020s... The vineyards are organically farmed, and the wines will be certified starting with the 2022 vintage.

"Made from 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 24 months in French and American oak, the wine exhibits a glass-coating opaque purple color with an expressive nose of pain grille, underbrush, brier, mineral, blueberry, and blackberry fruit leading to a plush, opulent wine with great density, savory flavors, and a lengthy finish."

Ratings & Reviews

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:

The 2023 Clio was produced with 70% Monastrell from very old vines and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1986. It fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and matured in new French and American oak barrels for 23 months. It has tons of spices, vanilla, toast and smoke, oaky notes that dominate the nose. It's full-bodied, with 15% alcohol, a pH of 3.57 and 6.1 grams of acidity, and it has more freshness than last year but keeping 3.4 grams of residual sugar and a finish dominated by oak flavors. It's for fans of the style. 

93 Points - Vinous:
The 2023 Clio is composed of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from Jumilla. It was aged for 23 months in French and American oak barrels. Recently bottled, the oak is at the forefront but will integrate. The wine opens with plum, soft herbal notes and blackberry. Intense with fruit complexity, the palate is creamy, flavorful and delicate in tannins, finishing with a touch of oak that will meld with time. (Drink between 2025-2043)

93 Points - Wine Spectator (2022):
"A rich, toasty red, offering a silky mix of concentrated boysenberry, cassis, espresso, dried mint and black licorice flavors. The muscular tannins are tightly sprung, but well-meshed with the fruit profile, emerging to firm the finish. Monastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2027 through 2037. 3,875 cases made, 1,420 cases imported." -AN (5/14/25)