Gil Luna
THE WINERY
Bodegas GIL LUNA is one of the first organic wineries in the D.O. Toro in Spain, having produced our premiere vintage in 2000 although our first organic certificated wine was made in 2009. We are located on the western area of Castilla y Leon next to the Duero river that if one
of the most important influences in our vineyards.
The vineyard is 10 has and was planted with the main variety of the area "Tinta de Toro"
On average, the vines are 30 years old and are almost all grown on a trellis system.
The winery holds a capacity of 50,000 litres.
Bodegas Gil Luna offers an alternative to the traditional wine-making methods of the region,
both in terms of the wine and its cultivation.
It was founded on the philosophy that the main principles of wine-making are a maximum respect for the environment, the selection of the best grapes and the production of "Vinos de Pago" - wines from the zone that reflect the characteristics of the native soil from which they
are made.
The wine is made entirely from grapes grown in the area known as "Pago Santa Olalla" in the Duero Valley of the region of Toro, where the soil is characteristically sandy, with rounded pebbles on the surface (eroded by the river thousands of years ago) and a layer of porous clay, 1.5m below the surface, which retains moisture. The average altitude is 700m, making the soil on this land ideal for an almost entirely organic cultivation of the vines.
THE STORY
Wences as one of the wine pioneers in Toro has helped to change the area. He is honest, humble and a simple person, so many of his contributions to the chage in the area are not really well known. He was the first one who believed in the variety potential (in Toro only young red wines were made) so he decided to be the first to age his wines in oak barrels. Also in 1991 he was the first one to make a Carbonic Maceration red wine, 2 years after he produced the first "roble" wine in the area, then he was the fist in making Sparkling white wine, red sweet late harvest wine and in 2008 the first red sparking wine.Patricia Gil Luna is a good example of the new generation of Spanish wine-makers. After learning her craft at her father's highly respected Vega Sauco winery and while studying Engineering in Agriculture at the University of Salamanca and after studying Oenology and Viticulture at the University of Va-lladolid too, she founded her Gil Luna winery (which was her Final Engineering Project at the end of her first career) and began producing wines that reflected both the traditions of the region and the tastes of a new generation of wmemakers and wine drinkers. Her wines are softer and more refined than traditional Toro reds, with more emphasis on the fruit. Her wines, Tres Lunas and Gil Luna, are a good example. At its core are the well-developed tannins that you expect from a Toro, but at the same time the rich, ripe fruit dances and lingers on the palate. It is both muscular and feminine, hearty and sophisticated. The first vintage was 2000 but they finished building their new winery in 2004. The winery is settled in the 10 has. vineyard they own.
Both two, Patricia and Wences, colaborate in the winemaking process. She has her own ideas and he adds his experience with the variety and the evolution of Toro wines during all the process. He is not only is father, he is her friend and her support to go on with her bussiness. Not all people know well his story. He was born in a humble family in Palencia, so since the beginnig he fighted to be able to study. He was combining work, studies and another of his passions: soccer, he was playing foothball in the 2nd team of Royal Madrid till the moment a serious injury in one of his legs stopped his career as foothball player. This was the moment when his career as winemaker started. He has been making wine in Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Cigales, Rueda but in Toro he felt in love with the area, the climate, the soil and mainly the variety. In 1991 he founded Bodegas Vega Sauco and some years after this organic winery Gil Luna.
THE VINEYARDS
Bodegas GIL LUNA has 10 has. of own vineyards, all cultivated with organic agriculture. Most of these vineyards are planted with red grape of the main Toro variety "Tinta de Toro" but also some of these vineyards are other varieties from the area like Garnacha and Verdejo. I The average age of these vineyards is 40 years old but great part of them are I older than a century. Both cultivars: bush vines and also trellis system trained The main variety is the grape which grows in Tinta de Toro, which is defined as a semistraight vine stock, and has pentagonal leaves with big dents and cottonlike fluffy back, with winged cylindrical clusters. The vineyards of GIL LUNA are situated on the plateau that streches between the Duero river and its tributary the Guarena river, next to its stuary. Here the climate is very extreme, the sandy land is poor and permeable, and the gravel that rest on clay with good drenaje thermoregulates the ripering. This is where the red varieties grow and can ripe perfectly. The average height of this land is 725 metres.THE ORGANIC CONCEPT
Our grapes are grown and our wines vinified according to the standards of CASTILLA Y LEON Certified Organic, Asociation, in accordance with international certification standards. What this means is that nothing toxic or synthetic goes into the growing of our grapes or the making of our wines. Instead of many toxic pesticides, we make sure the natural balance of predator insects is fully functioning in our vineyards. Instead of the common highly toxic synthetic fungicides, we use natural means to combat fungus, including fine-tuned nutrition (even feeding the plants through their leaves!) so the plant's natural immune system has everything it needs to protect the plant naturally. Studies have shown that resveratrol~a very potent antioxidant found in wine—is produced by the grape plant in its struggle against fungus.To combat weeds we don't use any herbicides. Instead we use laborious hand and tractor weeding or mulching. And to feed our plants we never use anything artificial—only rock powders, manures, mulches, composts, or specially grown cover crops that are plowed under and break down to feed the plants. SULFITES: In accordance with international standards for organic wine, our wines do contain low levels of sulfites from natural sources and the added gas form. Yeast regularly produce sulfur dioxide gas during fermentation, in addition to carbon dioxide, alcohol, and the many other bi-products of fermentation. This sulfur dioxide unites with the natural elements in the wine to produce natural sulfites. We regularly supplement small amounts of sulfur dioxide gas as the yeast do not produce a sufficient quantity for minimum stability expected by average consumer standards. Our wines are always below the maximum permitted worldwide for organic and conventional wines.. We never use the synthetic sulfite compounds. The levels of natural sulfites found in our wines are lower than what is found in many conventional wines, so that many of our customers prefer them simply to reduce the possibility that they will never get the sinusitis-type headache induced by high sulfite levels, or other reactions.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS BEST NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2009 AT WINES AWARDS BY WEIN GOURMET ** CONCURSO MUNDIAL DE BRUSELAS: Silver medal at Bruxelles 2008 ** ZARCILLOS, Tres Lunas 2005: Zarcillo de Plata Tres Lunas 2007: Zarcillo de Plata Gold medal at Zarcillos 2009 GIL LUNA 2005 : Medalla de Plata AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS CONCURSO INTERNACIONAL MUJERES Y VINOS DEL MUNDO (MONACO ) Tres Lunas 2005: Medalla de Plata vino y al mejor diseno INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION: Gil Luna 2005 : Medalla de bronce ** MEDITERRANEAN EXPERIENCE AND THE FOOD MAGAZINE WINE CHALLENGE (MIAMI) : Ties Lunas Reserva 2003 : 82 puntos "Best wine at its range". ** EXPO VINA wine competition: TRES LUNAS 2005......medalla de Oro