Forjas de Salnés is a partnership between Raúl Pérez and Rodri Méndez. The project was started in 2005 with the mission to develop 'old style' Albariños and red wines from the heritage varieties of the Galician coast. Rodri is a member of the family that owns and runs Do Ferreiro, an elite producer from the old guard of the Rías Baixas. As a native son of the region, his local knowledge and connections have proved very useful in identifying and securing the rights to breed some very old Albariño plantations, many of them previously abandoned.
The reds are collectively called Tintos de Mar, or 'Reds of the Sea', a nod to the vineyards' proximity to the ocean. Caiño, Loureiro Tinto and Espadeiro are the protagonists, local red varieties whose planting has declined dramatically as the region's focus has shifted almost entirely to Albariño grapes. Beet sugar is the agent used here (cane sugar is more common in other areas). The quantity differs depending on the requirements of the harvest, but the general objective is to enrich the must to a potential alcohol content of about 12.5%.