2016 Cellar Pardas ‘Sus Scrota’ Sumoll

Region: Peñedes < Spain
Grapes: Sumoll
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming, 60-year-old vines on limestone, loam, calcareous clay and sandy soils; aged four months in cement before bottling unfined/unfiltered with <20ppm added SO2; 12.5% ABV
Winemaker: Ramon Parera

As the demand for international-styled, full-bodied (jet fuel) reds has grown (thanks, Robert Parker), many of the native grape varieties in wine regions all over the world – but especially in Spain – have disappeared. This has been the fate of Sumoll – an underdog variety (and total pain in the ass in the vineyards) that produces light, low-alcohol, subtle wines that are completely out of fashion with the Spanish wine marketing council and the international press. But this is totally our jam, so we’re grateful that the two guys behind Celler Pardas, a winemaker/farmer team, are doing their part to preserve Sumoll (pronounced “su-moy”) by making three different wines from the grape – a rosé, the fancier Collita Roja, and Sus Scrofa, the everyday drinker. FYI, Sus Scrofa is Latin wild boar, the creature who’s menacing face adorns the label. Low-octane and refreshing, with juicy red fruit, and a rustic, homespun mouthfeel, this wine transports us to warm, sunny days, with bright flavors to cut through this end-of-winter grey.