León
It is located mainly in the south of the province of León, but also includes part of the province of Valladolid. The surface area of this designation of origin reaches 3,317 km2. It encompasses the production of white, rosé, and red wines. The authorized grape varieties are prieto picudo, albarín blanco, mencía, verdejo, and godello; and complementary varieties such as tempranillo, garnacha, malvasía, and palomino are also accepted.
The prieto picudo is the queen grape: it occupies 69% of the cultivated vineyard area. Traditionally used for rosé wines, more and more wineries are betting on its potential for red wine production.
Climate
The province of León is a climatic transition zone between the Meseta and the mountain ranges. The provincial climate is Mediterranean with a continental influence, featuring some nuances of an Atlantic climate. Its main characteristic is the sharp thermal contrast between day and night, harsh winters, spring frosts, and short, mild summers. The average rainfall is around 500 mm, mostly concentrated in autumn.
Soil
The soils are settled on alluvial terraces and are located below 900 m in altitude. The soils are brown over stony and calcareous deposits on soft materials, both types being of very high quality for vine cultivation. They stand out for their good internal drainage capacity, water retention, ease of aeration, and permeability. They have a low mineral salt content, are poor in organic matter, and have an adequate limestone content.
Hectares
1225
Location
Castilla y León
1999
Very Good
2000
Very Good
2001
Very Good
2002
Good
2003
Very Good
2004
Excellent
2005
Very Good
2006
Very Good
2007
Very Good
2008
Very Good
2009
Very Good
2010
Very Good
2011
Very Good
2012
Very Good
2013
Good
