Bodegas Forjas del Salnés Rías Baixas Leirana Albariño 2025

	From one of the very best bodegas in Rías Baixas
	The quintessential cool-climate wine, complex and refined
	Wonderful with shellfish, grilled fish, and as an aperitif.

Description

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

Rodrigo started 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 way of winemaking.

He therefore cultivates his vineyards organically, harvests by hand, and intervenes as little as possible in the cellar. Fermentation proceeds spontaneously, using natural, wild yeasts. Malolactic fermentation is not carried out here – unlike with most Albariños – thus preserving the typical freshness of the Atlantic Salnés Valley. After fermentation, the wine spends seven months in stainless steel tanks and in old, large oak barrels (20%).

It is almost impossible to imagine 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 great Spanish white wine of exceptional refinement. Feel free to let it age for another 4 to 5 years and gain in complexity.