León

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The soils of the zone have a low organic matter content, a determining factor in obtaining quality yields from both red and white varieties.
• The soils where white varieties are grown are light, with little organic matter and little clay, with good internal drainage and acceptable water retention.
• During the summer period there are large temperature differences between day and night, with scorching daytime temperatures and considerably cooler nights.
• The autumn periods in the zone are characterised by mild and somewhat rainy conditions, which is essential for the successful completion of grape ripening.
• The production zone is located in the southeast of the province of León, extending also into bordering municipalities of the provinces of Zamora and Valladolid. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Growers use the technique of long pruning to regulate and encourage the yield of the Prieto Picudo variety, achieving productions of high quality.
• Many wineries in the zone use a portion of the must to produce rosé wines through the madreo technique, exclusive to this area.
• From Roman times, the south of León was a transit zone for travellers along the Ruta de la Plata and the Camino de Santiago, and subsequently supplied wine to almost the entire northern part of the Iberian Peninsula. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• In the tenth century the local economy relied on grain mills and vineyards, and numerous monasteries drove the revival of viticulture by acquiring vineyard land. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The Prieto Picudo variety is characterised by the great aromatic intensity of the wines it produces, for which the correct accumulation in the berry skins of the terpenes responsible for those aromas is essential.

• The intense summer luminosity promotes the accumulation of sugars and polyphenols, responsible for the deep, warm colours of rosé and red wines on the appearance.
• The day-to-night temperature differences in summer allow the vine to carry out cellular respiration processes that favour natural acidity, imparting the freshness typical of rosé wines.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the specification (pliego de condiciones).

All appellations in Spain

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-ES-A0882
• Official trade body site — D.O. León