Bodegas Sumarroca, Cava Gran Reserva Organic Brut Nature, DO Cava, Spain, 2020

Producer Profile

From fortuitous beginnings in 1980, Carlos Sumarroca and his wife Nuria have built Bodegas Sumarroca into one the most important and largest entirely estate-grown organic Cava producers in the Penedes.

Originally an agronomist, selling small fruit trees around the world, a conversation with the Marques de Monistrol about the low prices paid to growers and lack of emphasis on quality, led to a gentleman’s agreement there and then to purchase the 500 hectare estate. He went about a process of removal of non-indigenous varieties from the estate, and a focus on planting native varietals, with a view never to compete with the large volume wineries, but instead to work with a focus on high-quality production and environmental management. Practicing sustainable viticulture, they are also certified by the internationally recognised Biosphere Sustainable certificate, supported by UNESCO, and strive to work with as little impact on the local ecology, and in ways to support the local economy. This includes the repopulation of native fauna on the farm, the installation of hives and protected areas for bats, as well as investment in efforts to eliminate the use of fossil fuels for energy. If that wasn’t enough they make sublime Cavas, continue to impress with their innovation, and embody the philosophy of passion for the land.

Viticulture

The land of the Sumarroca estate is poor, chalky and gravelly. The influence of the sea is diminished by the Garraf mountains which dry out the sea winds, while the pre-coastal mountain range protects the estate against dry winds from inland. These conditions produce highly elegant wines with a balanced, very fresh fruitiness. The Sabartés estate is located in the southernmost part of the Penedès region. The soil has a higher clay content with a loose texture. The estate is strongly influenced by the sea, being just a few kilometres from the coast. This Mediterranean character gives the base wine a fruitier tone.

Winemaking

Separate wine-making processes for each variety. Static filtration for 24 hours. Fermentation in stainless steel vats at 14ºC for 18 days. Aged in stacks for around 40 months.

Oak Ageing

No oak ageing

Tasting Note

Pale yellow colour. Fresh, complex aroma that mixes pastry notes from the cava’s 36-month ageing with light hints of fresh fruit from the base wine. Fresh and smooth on the palate, with very fine bubbles that perfectly complement the wine's complexity. An elegant, serious finish, long and dry, bringing out the essential flavour of the cava.

Food Matching

Seafood, Fish, Rice, Pasta and Seafood