As Covas 2017 (75 cl.)

The 2017 As Covas Pinot Noir was pale and quite ethereal, with notes of wild berries and herbs and a resinous touch. It's also quite balsamic. The palate has fine-grained tannins and good grip. This is not a wine for everyone, as it has a strong personality and some unusual aromas and flavors. 1,200 bottles produced.

All the wines from Rodrigo Méndez come from vineyards in the parish of Meaño in Rías Baixas, including some from Dena, which belongs to Meaño. These are cooler terroirs than the majority of Salnés, and the wines are vibrant and have very lively acidity. There is one new wine from four-year-old Albariño vines, 1.5 hectares planted half with Albariño and half with red grapes, and it's literally three meters away from the sea! It's called O Raio da Vella. He's also exploring the zone of Morrazo (where they grow Tinta Femia, the local name for Caíño) from a north-facing plot that delivered Albariño with very low alcohol; the wine from there is called O Santo do Mar.