Can Sumoi is a collaboration between Pepe Raventós of Raventós i Blanc and his childhood friend, Francesc Escala. For many years, they harboured a dream of making still wines in their native Catalonia. It was on a bike ride one day, high up in the mountains of west Penedès, that Pepe first set eyes on a derelict seventeenth century Finca. He returned with Francesc and they knew they had found what they were looking for and, since 2016, their revival of this rundown old property has been a labour of love.

The estate comprises 400 hectares, which is mostly woodland, situated at 600m above sea level with views stretching out over the Mediterranean to the east. On a clear day, Mallorca is visible on the horizon. Can Sumoi’s elevation and secluded position make it a unique place for vine-growing and biodiversity.

Surrounding the old farm buildings and winery are 20 hectares of Parellada, Xarel·lo Montonega and Sumoll, planted on limestone soils replete with fossilised marine-life. Today, farming is certified biodynamic but Pepe and Francesc are keen to go further and have taken inspiration from ancestral farming practices to develop their own philosophy they call ‘biosynergy’. This encompasses every element of the land and its history into an area of sustainable and ecological abundance.

Francesc and Pepe’s aim is to produce clean and precise wines through a combination of manual harvests, the use of indigenous yeasts and spontaneous fermentation, limited additions of sulphur or additives, with temperature control and inert gas used to prevent oxidation. There are five wines: two whites, a rosé, a red and a sparkling, all of which display a hallmark freshness that is the signature of this high altitude site.

The Xarel·lo is a classic expression of the region’s most prized variety and one that Pepe believes can reveal a true sense of place. It displays soft, herbal aromatics on a dry and refreshing palate. The Garnatxa Blanca was first produced in 2022 from two plots sourced near to the Can Sumoi estate. It is weightier than the Xarel·lo with a gentle fruit character. The lively La Rosa is a blend of Sumoll and Xarel·lo while the Garnatxa Sumoll is heady and perfumed with a core of red fruit and Mediterranean herbs encased by rounded tannins. Finally, the Ancestral Montònega is a unique sparkling wine made from a clone of the native Parellada. It is a crisp, fresh and softly sparkling with notes of discovery apple, white flowers and a hint of pine.