Bodegas Forjas del Salnés Rías Baixas Leirana Albariño 2024

	From one of the very best bodegas in Rías Baixas
	Cool climate wine par excellence, complex and refined
	Wonderful with shellfish, grilled fish and as an aperitif

Description

The pure, authentic Albariño from Galician Rodrigo Méndez stands out significantly from the wide range of cold-fermented, more one-dimensional, standardised white wines from other producers.

Rodrigo founded his Bodega Forjas del Salnés in 2005, with the now-legendary Raúl Pérez as cellar master. The estate is located in the village of Meaño, less than three kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. Rodrigo wanted to return to a natural, original winemaking method.

He cultivates his vineyards organically, harvests by hand, and intervenes minimally in the cellar. Fermentation occurs spontaneously, using natural, wild yeasts. Unlike most Albariños, malolactic fermentation is not performed here, preserving the characteristic freshness of the Atlantic Salnés Valley. After fermentation, the wine spends seven months in stainless steel tanks and large, old oak barrels (20%).

It's almost unbelievable that the harsh Atlantic climate, so challenging for winemakers, and the hard, poor granite soil here can produce such fantastic wines. The Leirana is a grand Spanish white wine of exceptional refinement. It can easily be aged for another four to five years to gain in complexity.