Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Raventós considers sumoll to be “the Catalàn nebbiolo, very rustic, with high tannins and high acidity.” He works with it here as a pet-nat, letting the fermentation start in tank, then finish in bottle, without any additions to get in the way of its fresh pear, rich white peach and litchi flavors. With two years on the lees, it developed some toasty broadness, but the wine’s acidity keeps it open and airy, focused on fruit.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Ancestral Sumoll is a pale ancestral sparkling from Sumoll grapes with 10.5% alcohol. The second vintage, it had a very light extraction, then was bottled in the middle of fermentation and finished fermenting in bottle until the end, finishing dry. There is no addition of any oenological products—no added sulfur and with a pH below three. It has an expressive nose with notes of rose petals and fennel, very good freshness and a dry finish. It's clean, elegant and refreshing and feels very tasty, almost salty. They disgorged the bottles to remove the lees.
What are the different types of sparkling rosé wine?
Rosé sparkling wines like Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and others make a fun and festive alternative to regular bubbles—but don’t snub these as not as important as their clear counterparts. Rosé Champagnes (i.e., those coming from the Champagne region of France) are made in the same basic way as regular Champagne, from the same grapes and the same region. Most other regions where sparkling wine is produced, and where red grape varieties also grow, also make a rosé version.
How is sparkling rosé wine made?
There are two main methods to make rosé sparkling wine. Typically, either white wine is blended with red wine to make a rosé base wine, or only red grapes are used but spend a short period of time on their skins (maceration) to make rosé colored juice before pressing and fermentation. In either case the base wine goes through a second fermentation (the one that makes the bubbles) through any of the various sparkling wine making methods.
What gives rosé Champagne and sparkling wine their color and bubbles?
The bubbles in sparkling wine are formed when the base wine undergoes a secondary fermentation, which traps carbon dioxide inside the bottle or fermentation vessel. During this stage, the yeast cells can absorb some of the wine’s color but for the most part, the pink hue remains.
How do you serve rosé sparkling wine?
Treat rosé sparkling wine as you would treat any Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and other sparkling wine of comparable quality. For storing in any long-term sense, these should be kept at cellar temperature, about 55F. For serving, cool to about 40F to 50F. As for drinking, the best glasses have a stem and a flute or tulip shape to allow the bead (bubbles) and beautiful rosé hue to show.
How long do rosé Champagne and sparkling wine last?
Most rosé versions of Prosecco, Champagne, Cava or others around the “$20 and under” price point are intended for early consumption. Those made using the traditional method with extended cellar time before release (e.g., Champagne or Crémant) can typically improve with age. If you are unsure, definitely consult our Customer Care team for guidance.
A superior source of white grapes for the production of Spain’s prized sparkling wine, Cava, the Penedes region is part of Catalunya and sits just south of Barcelona. Medio Penedès is the most productive source of the Cava grapes, Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada. Penedes also grows Garnacha and Tempranillo (here called Ull de Llebre in Catalan), for high quality reds and rosès.