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In 1998 Grupo Galiciano bought an estate of 300 hectares in
Dehesa de Rubiales which is located in Valdevimbre in the
south of León province, north of Zamora and west of
Valladolid. So far, 150 hectares have been planted with Prieto
Picudo and Tempranillo, with smaller quantities of Cabernet,
Merlot, Shiraz and Petit Verdot. Grupo Galiciano decided to
start producing red wine from the Prieto Picudo, previously
used for making rosé, when they realised that it had
the organic properties and the great potential to make excellent
red wine. The group also have agreements with local producers
to buy Prieto Picudo grapes from 100 year old vines. The area,
which dates from the Miocene Epoch, averages between 650 and
780 metres above sea level and the soil, which is alluvial,
is compact and reddish with clay characteristics and covered
with stones. It has a dry continental climate with an annual
average rainfall of 400 mm and 2,500 hours of sun.
The
old vines are planted in frames of 2.40 by 2.40 metres, and
the younger vines 3 by 1.5 metres. Both the bunches and grapes
of the Prieto Picudo are small, the grapes are oval shaped,
and each vine produces 2.5kg, about 5,500 to 6,000kg per hectare.
Harvesting takes place from about 15th September and lasts
one month. The wine is currently being produced in a local
bodega until their new winery is completed in about two years'
time.
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