Grizzly Prieto Picudo
La Osa, Leon, Red Wine

A bold, structured red made from the rare Prieto Picudo grape, Grizzly 2022 channels the rustic strength of the high plains of León. Made by Noelia de Paz under her LaOsa label, this wine balances dense fruit and fine tannins with vibrant acidity and elegant oak integration. A small-batch expression of terroir and tradition.

Vineyard & Viticulture
Grapes for Grizzly are sourced from Valdevimbre and Pajares de los Oteros, two villages situated around 700–800 meters elevation in DO Tierra de León. The soils here are clay-rich with embedded limestone pebbles, aiding drainage while retaining essential moisture. The region's continental climate brings hot, dry summers and cold winters, with some of the lowest annual rainfall in Spain. The consistent wind, intense sunlight, and elevation yield thick-skinned, deeply colored grapes with natural acidity. Vines average 25–35 years of age and are bush-trained, farmed without irrigation or chemical inputs.

Winemaking
Prieto Picudo is a grape that demands care. Around 20% of the grapes are fermented whole-cluster, while the rest are destemmed. Fermentation is spontaneous using native yeasts and carried out with gentle pump-overs instead of punch-downs, to avoid extracting harsh tannins. Total maceration lasts about 30 days, followed by 12–18 months of aging in neutral 225L French oak barrels. In some years, Noelia blends in a small portion (~15%) of the previous vintage held in barrel to build complexity. The wine is bottled unfined and lightly filtered, with minimal sulfur.

Additional Facts
Grizzly is part of Noelia’s bear-themed lineup ("La Osa" = she-bear), with each wine named after a bear species. This cuvée honors the power and adaptability of the grizzly, mirroring Prieto Picudo’s intensity and age-worthy structure. The 2022 vintage was exceptionally warm and dry, leading to small berries with concentrated skins and expressive tannins. A limited-production wine, with only a few thousand bottles produced each year.