Martín Códax

Located in the scenic Salnés Valley, the northwest of Pontevedra in the beautiful tributaries around the fishing village of Cambados, Martín Códax has firmly placed the enchanting Albariño grape variety on the international stage. Relatively new in Spanish terms (less than 20 years), the Galician winery has made leaps and bounds in terms of producing quality, clean, fresh wines and in getting the word out. Unusual in the area, Códax only uses its own estate grapes, rather than buying them in from local growers. The winemaker, Luciano Amoedo Rodino, was also the founder of the “Rías Baixas” Denomination of Origin (appellation) and is a pre-eminent wine professional.

Bodegas Martín Códax has three brands- Códax, Burgáns, and Organistrum- and uses 100% Albariño, a grape claimed by Catalan winemaker Miguel Torres to be a cousin of Riesling, brought over to Spain by German pilgrims making their way to Santiago de Compostela. The local regulatory council disagrees, but what everyone agrees upon is that the grape is one of Spain’s “noble” varietals. This part of Spain is absolutely marvelous for the food and wine-loving tourist- Celtic in spirit more than Spanish, with landscapes more similar to Ireland than the typical images of dry Spain, with the best freshly caught seafood in Europe and delightful white and light red wines. Galicia is an original and unforgettable place for a wine tour, and Bodegas Martín Códax is one of the best and most dynamic wineries to visit.