Introducing ‘Friend of Hambledon’: Bodega Forjas del Salnés — available in the Cellar Door Shop now.
Located in Galicia’s cool, Atlantic-influenced Salnés Valley, Bodega Forjas del Salnés is led by Rodrigo Méndez, whose family has farmed in the region for generations.
The winery has become highly regarded for its work with old vineyards and indigenous varieties, particularly Albariño and Caiño, producing wines that combine freshness, salinity and remarkable precision. Working with low-intervention methods and a strong respect for traditional viticulture, the estate plays an important role in preserving the historic vineyard culture and unique identity of north-western Spain.
Their Estate
During the early 2000s, Rodrigo Méndez and respected winemaker Raúl Pérez joined forces to produce some of the most spectacular Albariño and to bring back rare Galician reds, which, just a century earlier, were the most prized produce of the region.
Born in a garage winery in 2005, they worked with fruits from just 7.5 hectares of vines, grown in the villages of Meaño, Sanxenxo and Barro. In fact, the unique growing conditions in the Salnés Valley, subject to the highest rainfall in Spain and sitting atop granite bedrock, carry their own benefits: phylloxera cannot survive here, and as such, it is home to 150-200-year-old vines. So, Rodrigo focuses on nurturing small plots of vines, using age-old processes of natural winemaking, to create wines that are a true reflection of the land.
Wines to Seek Out....
We have six expressions from their estates, four of which are the reds so characteristic of this producer, available in the Cellar Door Shop.
Why Bodegas Forjas del Salnés?
Farming With Nature
Located in a challenging area for viticulture, careful vineyard management is imperative to ensure the long-term health and vitality of centuries-old, pre-phylloxera vines. As such, minimal intervention is applied throughout the winemaking process to protect site expression and balance at every step of the journey.
The More, The Merrier
With an agricultural system so reflective of their natural Atlantic climate, preserving these historic vineyard landscapes is central to their ethos.
Waste Not, Want Not
The vinification process embraces natural techniques, with grapes fermented by plot to ensure quality and expression of terroir. Natural yeasts are used to kickstart the process, with no enzymes used and minimal reliance on temperature control. Left to mature on lees for months, only old oak barrels, foudres and stainless steel are used to preserve the natural aromas of the grapes themselves.
Social Responsibility
At its heart, this is a family-rooted project preserving traditional Galician viticulture, which plays a key part in helping maintain historic vineyard culture within the region. This love for their home region facilitates a true commitment to authentic wines that reflect place, heritage and sustainability.
Highlight Wine: Jim's Pick
Rías Baixas “Leirana Finca Genoveva” 2024, £35
Produced from exceptional old Albariño vines close to the Atlantic coast, this wine demonstrates the estate’s ability to combine freshness, salinity and remarkable vineyard precision.
Images courtesy of Bodegas Forjas del Salnés
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