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(Synonyms: Sumoi, Chimoi, Saumoll, Somoi, Sumoy, Ximoll, Somoll, Ximoy, And Xemoll.)
Sumoll is a red-wine grape originating in the Penedès region in Catalonia in northeast Spain. It was long seen as a no-’count grape: difficult to grow and, supposedly, making wine unfit for anything but padding out blends.
But, as has happened in recent times with many obscure and nearly extinct grapes, someone decided it had untapped potential and started a revival, which continues to grow today. In this case, it was Heretat MontRubí, a small Penedès winery less than four decades old.
Sumoll wines seem—we say that because so few are being made yet—to have a distinctive nature. They are relatively pale, yet aromatic. They are high in acids, which imparts a sensation of “freshness”, and have full tannins and complex dark floral/herbal qualities, with plum and licorice being mentioned. It might not be too extreme to say that they bear some resemblance to Nebbiolos. They are probably at their best when given some oak exposure to help moderate their acidity.
Factoid: Under the local alias Vijariego Negro it is an authorised variety in a number of the Canary Islands DOPs.
As a variety not well known in the U.S., Sumoll has very few representatives on the market here (and several of those are rosés). In the end, we could only find one decent specimen that is in our price range (at least partially) and has some degree of availability.
(At least one of Heretat MontRubí’s Gaintus-line bottlings—the “Radical”—is out there, but we felt it too scarce to list; but if you ever see any monovarietal Sumoll, grab it.)
• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
CellarTracker has two separate listings for this wine:
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.
We could find no reasonably available Sumoll wines better enough than those listed above as to justify a “splurge” price.
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Some Descriptions of Sumoll Wines
“Young wine from Sumoll grape has a slight roughness that disappears with aging. Its production is low and treatment for achieving quality wines requires high skills in wine production…It has been replaced by other varieties and nowadays its culture is rare, with less than one hundred hectares planted (247 acres). This trend has begun to change within the last years. Wine growers are starting to recover and appreciate this variety, as they see an opportunity to create original wines that differentiate themselves…”
“Wines made from the variety have a distinctive cherry flavor and a pronounced mineral characteristic. They can sometimes lack acidity, and are best drunk young.”
“[Catalonia’s] winemakers should however demand wider recognition of its native variety Sumoll, so different and to me, rather more interesting than Tempranillo. In the right hands and with the right temperament, this native Catalan variety could go a long way.”
“Wines made of Sumoll have good acidity with a bitter finish that fades slowly…The aroma of Sumoll has notes of raspberries, black fruits such as blackberries, cocoa and an earthiness.”
“The wines prepared out of this red wine grape variety are considered to be similar to cherry as to its flavor. These wines possess mineral characteristics which is remarkable indeed…There are seductive aromas of sweaty horse saddle, scrub herbs as well as chocolate in these wines.”
“Sumoll’s low pH aids the production of the rosé, sparkling and sweet wines, but presents a challenge for the medium-bodied reds, especially given the high level of tannins in the grapes…Pale in colour, flavours and aromas range from ‘herbal, rose petal, liquorice and dark plum’ to ‘Mediterranean undergrowth with green touches, green fennel, thyme and a strong mineral character’. But, most of all, it’s the grape’s rusticity and acidity that get highlighted.”
“Difficult to grow, difficult to vinify, difficult to comprehend…if Cabernet Sauvignon is Beethoven, then Sumoll is Miles Davis.”
“They’re making noise in New York and now wines made from the recovered Catalan grape variety Sumoll, known as the Pinot Noir of the Mediterranean, are starting to make a splash in Britain…‘These wines are different, incredibly food friendly and of very high quality - they are the very essence of new wave Spain,’ said Peter Mitchell MW [Master of Wine]…‘Sumoll wines appeal due to their freshness and low alcohol,’ said Sarah Jane Evans MW”