Rodrigo Mendez Rias Baixas Cies 2013 750 ML

Pale gold. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of orange, pear and honeysuckle, along with a spicy topnote that gains strength as the wine opens up. Lively and sharply focused on the palate, offering intense citrus and orchard fruit flavors underscored by chalky minerality.n n Producer Informationn 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.