Rodrigo Méndez Cíes Blanco 2025

The Méndez family has made Albariño in the Rías Baixas for generations, and Rodrigo, working from Meaño in Pontevedra, is regarded as one of Galicia's finest oenologists. This single-variety Albariño is partly fermented in barrel, reviving a traditional local method used long before stainless steel became standard, and then aged eight months in oak. The vineyards lie in the maritime Val do Salnés on granite and sandy soils, where Atlantic humidity and sea breezes preserve the grape's high natural acidity and its saline character. Fermenting and ageing in barrel puts the wine in gentle contact with oxygen through the wood and holds it on its lees, so the spent yeast rounds the texture and adds a light creamy depth while the wood stays in the background. The result is pale yellow with greenish glints, fresh and vibrant. The nose shows white flowers and white fruit, pear and peach, with a subtle creamy, faintly vanilla note from the barrel. The palate is broader and more textured than a tank Albariño, the acidity firm and the finish saline. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees in a white wine glass. It suits richer seafood and poultry.