Rodrigo Méndez Rías Baixas Cies Blanco 2023

Rodrigo Méndez is a native of Galicia's Rías Baixas region, a fifth generation winemaker in a family whose legacy in the area dates back three centuries. At his winery, he focuses on organically farmed, historical vineyards and low-intervention cellar work. Cíes is Rodrigo Méndez’s emblematic Albariño, a village-level bottling drawn from three old-vine plots around the village of Meaño, all planted between 1954 and 1964 just a few kilometres from the sea. Bright, precise, and singing of the coast, this is a crisp and lively white wine full of citrus and stone fruit flavours. 

95/100 - The 2023 Cíes is the white village wine from Meaño, from different vineyards, and it is elegant and subtle, insinuating and detailed. It fermented and matured in barrels of different sizes where it matured for six months. It has moderate ripeness and 12.2% alcohol with very good freshness (pH 3.46) and acidity (7.45 grams), which makes it vibrant and pungent, with saline flavors and a super tasty finish. It is sharp, precise and mineral. 12,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2024. - Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate

93/100 - This is Albariño. Lovely tension with a slight saltiness to the tight citrus fruit, and also a hint of apricot richness. Really detailed and engaging. - Dr. Jamie Goode, WineAnorak