Free Thinking in Penedes: Pepe Raventós

by Andrew Chalk

Most winemakers' lives are a life of constraints: The existing vineyards, the existing grapes, above all, the conventional wisdom. A few break free and set the conventional wisdom for the next generation. Pepe Raventós is one of the latter. In the high Penedes region of northeastern Spain, geographically distant and culturally opposite to cosmopolitan Barcelona. This is a remote land of hills and low yields, a landscape almost bereft of symbols of modernity, where the family’s ownership goes back to 1497. 

Pepe is actually creating vineyards by restoring vineyards that fell into disuse. He is reintroducing autochthonous grape varieties ignored for decades, and taking grapes normally used for blending and bottling them as monovarietals. 

On a recent visit to Dallas the winery’s sommelier and member of the export team Marti Pujol, took me through these wines. 

Can Sumoi, 2024 Ancestral Montonega

A pet-nat by any other name. Sparkling wine from the ancestral method. Earthy, dry, a sparkling wine for food.

Can Simoi 2024 Muntanya

A sparkling wine made in the traditional method from 50% Xarel-lo and 50% Macabeo in the Extra Brut style (3.5 g/L RS). Aged 12 months on lees. Hints of autolysis, citrus, in a vibrantly acidic wine with a flinty finish.

Can Sumoi, 2024 Xarel-lo 

One of the finds of this tasting. Xarel-lo is usually blended (typically in Cava) but here it gets to perform as a solo act. Profound body in the mouthfeel, notes of anise, stewed apple on the nose, and herbs. 

Pepe Raventós 2023 Vigna Del Noguer Xarel-lo

An outstanding wine and singular representation of the Xarel-lo grape. Crisp, citrus, peach, mineral notes and a base layer of earthiness combine with artful dexterity to make this a reference point. 

Pepe Raventós 2014 Más Del Serral 

Bottle 1028/2150. 

A sparkling blend made in the traditional method. This wine should be judged against the best Cava and other sparkling wine from Penedes. It has acquired an attractive autolytic note that registers alongside its citric qualities. Made from a blend of grapes.

Pepe Raventós 2017 Sumoll 

A sparkling wine made with the ancestrale method (better known as Pet Nat). This is the first time that I have tasted the Sumoll grape, which may be no surprise as there is virtually none produced and it was almost allowed to go extinct but for producers like Pepe. It is a red grape, native to Penedès, with forward red fruit. This red is less obtrusively fruity than, say, the Shiraz red sparkling wines of Australia's Barossa, giving it refinement and delicacy.    

Pepe Raventós makes so little of these iconic wines that US distribution is restricted to fine wine shops. Google for names. Distribution in Texas is very good. The prices will come across as surprisingly reasonable to someone used to Burgundy or Napa. A byproduct of Pepe Raventós still being an unknown treasure at this time.