“2021 Castilla y Léon- Pedro Gonzalez Mittelbrunn  (Mary Taylor Selection)  The 2021 Castilla y Léon from Pedro Gonzalez Mittelbrunn is made entirely from Prieto Picudo, one of the ancient regional grapes that has slowly been making a comeback in the region thanks to Pedro’s efforts. The wine is fermented with native yeasts and raised in stainless steel. The 2021 version comes in at thirteen percent octane and offers up a deep and impressively complex bouquet of dark berries, smoked meats, black tea, a lovely array of sweet botanicals, dark soil tones and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with an excellent core of fruit and soil undertow, firm tannins and lovely balance on the long and very promising finish. This will need a few years in the cellar to soften up its backend tannins, but it is going to be an excellent wine and is a stunning value! 2028-2055+. 92.”

-John Gilman, published by View From the Cellar. Suggested drinking: 2028-2055+.

2018: Very well balanced vintage. Beautiful intense red color.  Ripe and intense red and black fruit aromas. Very fresh palate with velvety texture. Very easy to drink now.

2019: Well balanced vintage. Beautiful red color. Ripe and fresh red fruit aromas. Fresh and powerful palate with a lingering finish. Easy to drink now.

After years of creating Leon´s benchmark, winemaker Pedro Mittelbrunn threw caution to the wind to follow his dream to help revive Leon´s local grapes, Prieto Picudo and Albarin, gaining him the name of Pedro Prieto Picudo.

He convinced the region´s best farmers to partner with him in the winery in addition to buying up specific plots to re plant with Albarin, the region´s white varietal and Prieto Picudo, the region´s big flavoured superstar red varietal. This relatively new project is most definitely up and coming and offers the world of wine something quite different.

This brave pioneer of modern Prieto Picudo, is the only producer in the world to produce certified organic Prieto Picudo and Albarin. The winery prides itself on being a leading light in sustainable wineries and has implemented several energy and water saving techniques.

Leon was once the largest producer of wine in Castilla y Leon, larger than its neighbour Ribera del Duero. As the younger generation moved away, this most important sector has suffered but is now beginning a quiet come back thanks to brave pioneers like Pedro Mittelbrunn and the local grape Prieto Picudo.

The solitary, state-of-the-art winery is located in amongst the vineyards and is the perfect get-away-from-it-all destination.

Biodynamic and organic grape growing is central to the winery´s philosophy. A large part of the 72 hectares are certified organic or on their way to being organic.

The unique Prieto Picudo grape is a small grape with big flavour producing wines with bold flavours that age well.  The very special Albarin grape is much smaller production.

The winery also owns several hectares of 80 year-old+ Prieto Picudo that grows very close the ground and produces less than 3000Kg / Hc.

Easy to distinguish because of its tight bunch. The grapes are oval shaped with a pointy end. The skin is dark-bluish. The taste and aroma are sweet and intense. Its uniqueness comes from the vineyard’s conduction system. The branches lie on the field which is highly unusual. The pruning is also different, much harder than usual because you need to kneel down. We call it rastra.

RASTRA

Rastra pruning method is typical from the south of León province (Spain) and unique in all the world. This system only exists in old Prieto Picudo vines.

Prieto Picudo variety is very special, it is not very fertile and creeps very easily.

The old local farmers use this method to protect the vines from the cold north winters of the Cantabric Mountains (Picos de Europa) and from the evapotranspiration. In our area the rainfall is only 400 mm per year.

This special pruning method consists of obtaining the stems from the head of the vine. The head is underground. Formerly, each 3 years, the farmers would cut the old stems and renew it again from the head. Currently the stems are renewed every 10-15 years.

Using this system the stems, with leaves and clusters, are spread over the soil. The soil in our area has a lot of gravels and pebbles and it is very poor, so usually, it is very healthy. Some times, the bunches still in contact with the soil a long time, until the harvest. Pebbles keep warm and aid in the bunches ripening.

The plantation density in our area is very low. We have only 1,100 vines per hectare. 3 meters between plants and 3 meters between rows. So, our yields with this vineyards are very low, only 1,500 – 2,000 kg. per hectare.

The result of the method is that the stems of the nearby vines join each other forming a protective vegetation cover.

Only the very old Prieto Picudo vineyards are still with RASTRA pruning method.

It is a disused method because it requires a lot of work. All by hand. LEYENDA DEL PÁRAMO is the only winery that maintains RASTRA old vineyards of Prieto Picudo today.