Prieto Picudo

Synonyms: prieto picudo oval (Tierra de León), prieto picudo tinto (Tierra de León).

Thin-skinned variety, with medium sprouting and maturity. It does not like neither drought nor excessive sun, and feels more at home in temperate climates.

It is grown almost exclusively in Castilla y León, mainly in the province of León. Prieto Picudo red wines usually have a medium-high layer, expressive nose of forest fruits with wild notes and black pepper; in the mouth it has a high natural acidity and a moderate-high tannic structure that in some elaborations can be tamed by aging in oak. Some years the variety does not fully ripen and the tannin can become drying. It is also commonly found in fresh rosé wines, with abundant fruit and flowers. Some rosés are made with the ancestral technique of "madreo", which consists of adding a percentage of whole cluster to the must to provoke an intracellular fermentation that provides a slight needle of natural carbon dioxide gas and leaves a noticeably sweet finish in the mouth.