Leirana 2024

I have to admit, I had to double-check and even count again when I looked at the price while preparing this mailing…
Had I really entered the correct purchase price??
But yes, the price is absolutely correct.

I have already written quite a few strong mailings about this estate: we are talking about Forjas del Salnés in Rías Baixas. A long-standing partner and consistently highly rated by R. Parker.

But today even their entry-level wine, the fantastic Leirana 2024, scores an incredible 94+/100! The highest score ever…

Rodri Méndez, mentor, winemaker and owner, keeps improving year after year. His wines, both white and red, embody the purest Atlantic identity of the Iberian Peninsula.

I admit: in red, not always easy and not everyone’s style. But in white? I can only say that this is our best value Albariño.

We have cheaper (Alba de Vetus) and more expensive (Pazo Señorans) options, both very good, but this basic Leirana is simply unbeatable at its level.

The 2024 is already drinking beautifully right now. I tasted it last week in Barcelona with a fantastic seafood platter, and I must admit: it was the perfect match. And there is absolutely no problem if you cellar this white for another five years. Its saline character will only become more pronounced.

Here is what Gutiérrez says about it for R. Parker:

94+/100
"The 2024 Leirana, which represents the character of the Salnés Valley through different vineyards and locations in a fresh and Atlantic way, is the intro to the 2024 vintage, a year with good ripeness. The wine reached 13.4% alcohol, meaning full development of aromas and flavors, while keeping notable acidity and freshness, showcased by a pH of 3.23 and 7.8 grams of acidity. The nose is harmonious and young but quite expressive of freshly cut grass, flowers and sea breeze. The destemmed grapes were pressed, then the juice was left to settle and ferment with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel (20%) and oak foudres, and then it matured for eight months. It has an intense and pungent palate with granite minerality, a fine thread of acidity going through its core and with a salty twist in the finish. This year, it has a little bit more of everything. It was bottled in June 2025, a mere few days before I tasted it, yet the wine felt relaxed."