Rodrigo Mendez Rias Baixas Salvora 2013 750 ML

Light brilliant yellow in colour. Ripe, mineral-accented pear, orange zest, white flowers and ginger on the fragrant bouquet; notes of honey and smoky lees add complexity. Lush orchard and pit fruit flavors gain depth and spiciness with air, picking up a zestier Meyer lemon nuance on the back half. The pear note carries strongly through the seamless, impressively long finish, which shows excellent clarity and bright mineral cut.

Producer Information
Rodrigo Méndez of Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is the fifth generation of a legendary Galician family known for crafting quality wines for over three centuries. Today, Rodri (as he is known locally) is considered one of the greatest and most prolific Albariño producers in the world, making at least 18 different bottlings at his small winery established in the cradle of the Albariño grape itself: the Val do Salnés. This historic area is the most coastal subzone in the Rías Baixas winegrowing region, an appellation that was established by Rodri’s late grandfather, Francisco Méndez, in 1988, who was a blacksmith by trade as well as a winemaker. The name of Rodri’s winery (forjas means “forges”) is a nod to this other family specialty. A firm believer in the power of simplicity, Rodri is dedicated to allowing his wines to tell their own origin stories. Since founding his winery in 2005, he has learned that by releasing control over the winemaking process, his wines can truly communicate where they come from, especially regarding their soils. With experience and practice, he has “lost the fear” of intense, high-acid Albariño—less aromatic and fruity than the popular styles—because his goal as a winemaker is to make wines that can age elegantly, and which never disguise their terroir with showy aromas.