Partida Creus Sumoll 2021

Partida Creus is a small natural wine project run by Antonella Gerosa and Massimo Marchiori in a converted warehouse at Bonastre, in the Baix Penedès hills of Tarragona. They farm old plots with minimal intervention and a Slow Food ethos, recovering nearly lost local varieties. Sumoll is a high-acid, thin-skinned Catalan grape that struggles to ripen evenly, which long kept it out of fashion, but at low yields on these warm coastal hills it gives a wine of freshness and grip. There is no denomination of origin, by choice. Fermentation runs on native yeasts with no additions, and the wine spends eight months in stainless steel rather than oak, which keeps the fruit pure and the texture light. The colour is bright translucent ruby. The nose shows tart red berries, cherry, rhubarb and dried herbs, with a peppery, earthy edge. The palate is light bodied and dry, with high acidity, fine tannin and a savoury, slightly wild character. Serve lightly chilled at 14 to 16 degrees. It suits charcuterie and lighter meats.