Rodrigo Méndez comes from a family of winegrowers in Meaño, Galicia, and belongs to the new wave of viñadores focusing on the land. After completing the valorisation of the family 'bodega' Forjas del Salnes, through a process that began in 2003 thanks to the support of fellow countryman Raúl Pérez, in 2012 he felt the need to further fuel this creative drive by laying the foundations for a more intimate and personal project that, in fact, bears his name. His vineyards are not typical Galician: they are hidden in the mountains, surrounded by pine forests. Here Rodrigo cultivates native Galician vines and uses natural yeasts to ferment them. The wines produced in this winery aim to show the Albariño grape variety in a different light. All these wines are fermented with their own indigenous yeast, matured in old wooden vats without temperature control. This is how Albariño has always been vinified from the beginning until the 1980s, when stainless steel technology was implemented by all wineries. Today, the wines of this region are no longer made in this way, which is why Rodrigo's wines are so unique and special. The total production is around 45,000 bottles. The DO Rías Baixas is located in the extreme north-west of the Iberian Peninsula, south-west of Galicia. From Finisterre to Baiona, the Atlantic penetrates the territory, forming a rugged and rocky coastline, where steep coastal stretches are followed by wide sandy areas. In these areas of fishing villages, beaches, islands, vineyards, pazos and churches, the cultivation of vines, or more precisely Albariño, dates back over a thousand years. Historically, the vineyards were owned by religious orders, which then passed into the hands of the Galician nobility. It was not until the mid-20th century that the vines passed into the hands of small winegrowers and the Albariños spread throughout the area. The Rías Baixas DO is divided into five sub-zones: Valle de Salnés, Condado de Tea, El Rosal, Sotomayor and Ribera del Ulla. Each has common characteristics in terms of landscape and climate. Vineyards are generally located on plains, the altitude is usually less than 300 m, they are close to the sea and often to the lower reaches of watercourses. Rocky soils with alluvial granite and shale characteristics prevail. The prevailing climate is Atlantic, with mild temperatures and high rainfall. Rainfall is so important that Las Rías Baixas is one of the rainiest places in Europe. The Las Rías Baixas wine-growing heritage is extensive, so we find many indigenous grape varieties such as Caiño Tinto, Espadeiro, Loureira Tinta, Sousón or Albariño, Loureira Blanca, Treixadura and Caiño Blanco, among others.