Summertime Can Sumoi La Rosa.

Summertime Can Sumoi La Rosa.

A few weeks ago I was presented with two Rosés @lagavinasagaro in the Costa Brava where we landed to rest further epic wedding celebrations for my son’s wedding exceptionally hosted at @marquesderiscal and featured @NYTimes. One was the CAN SUMOI La Rosa. On the nose it shouted authenticity so I immediately ordered a glass, the next day a bottle, and off to Barcelona again another bottle.

Can Sumoi is the creation of Pepe Raventós-”the man” and surname that spans hundreds of years in the D.O. Penedés also known as Cava country, but Pepe left the appellation in 2012 to pursue his truth for Penedés sparkling wines that his family created and developed in 1870 after his forefather traveled to the contiguous country of France to bring back the Champagne Method. It was then and there that the Cava name and Sparkling wine industry was born and solidified well before the First World War. Prior to that the Raventós family cultivated the land for over five centuries.

So this Pepe is akin to Paco of Riscal who I interviewed for my book. Both are far from the everyday Pepe or Paco…

I am a fervent advocate of protecting authentic wine places of origin and the culture inculcated in what arrives at one’s table. Rosé continues to be a “hot category” cluttered with many marketing concocted brands- wines “created” to meet flavor profiles not those derivative of a culture.

This Can Sumoi La Rosa was probably the most authentic young rosé I have ever tasted.

López de Heredía produces a Gran Reserva Rosé; the only rosé Gran Reserva in Rioja but that is outside of this rosé stadium.

Can Sumoi was recreated with Pepe’s childhood friend Francesc Escala from a large over 800 acre farm dating back to 1645 with vistas that reach to the Balearic island of Mallorca and the delta of the Ebro- that final landing place of the mighty Ebro- our spinal cord in Rioja. In summertime, many Catalans say the best mussels come from the Ebro delta and after this visit I would agree.

This La Rosa is a blend of the indigenous grape Sumoll, and the other indigenous grapes well known to the region’s sparkling wines Xarel-lo (Char-L-Low) and Parellada (Par-eh-ya-da) which both sound sexy. Pepe and Francesc rescued the estate vines and placed their talent, heart, and soul into this farm, vines and wines. Vineyards located at well aerated altitudes of 600 meters and mostly fossilized oceanic limestone soils. The delicacy of this Rosé makes it both serious and summertime relaxing at the same time. A classic label in a unique bottle format. The nose with light cherry, tangerine peel, dill, seashelled minerality speaks to its coastal origin. This tone carries through to the palate with gentle structure, crisp and dry-yet a mouth feel as light as a pink ballet slipper. I never tasted Sumoll before but it is always exhilarating to experience an indigenous grape and especially one rescued by a lifeguard.

Perhaps the structure is attributed to the Xarel-lo and the delicacy to Parellada but they are both present in this simply stunning authentic rosé.

I have been called a Rioja expert and most recently a disrupter. Disrupters stir the pot and often drive those around them to better places for which I can most certainly identify with Pepe.

We enjoyed LA ROSA of Can Sumoi with cigalas, mussels from the Delta of the Ebro, freshly caught prawns but perhaps the best pairing was the baked salt encrusted Mediterranean sea bass where the purity of the flavor of the fish perfectly enspoused the purity of this wine in the most holistic way imaginable.

This experience took my head out of my Rioja sand and back to my early professional days in the wine business and why Catalunya is such a special corner of Spain and the world. I was delighted to FIND IT imported by friends and colleagues @skurnikwines and available for sale @wine.com and various other retail locations. I purchased bottles to share for US$21.00 well below its intrinsic worth.

Wines of this authenticity driven by passion and purpose not an algorithm nor market research are as priceless as the relationships and joy that evolves at the table where you taste, pair and share that wine.