The Society's Cava Reserva Brut 2023

The Sumarroca family have been making wine for several generations and are now located in the premium wine-growing area of Penedès, nearer Barcelona. Husband and wife Carlos and Nuria Sumarroca bought a 15th-century estate there in 1982 and began producing white and sparkling wines, focussing on making innovative, characterful, balanced wines rather than competing with larger companies. The emphasis is always on quality rather than quantity from their 405ha of land, meaning that they can now use 100% of their own grapes and have ultimate control over the fruit that goes into their wine. With all that in mind, they also practise sustainable farming to preserve the vineyards for future generations and secure their estate for their heirs, with research projects into new production methods and sustainable farming. We are delighted that they make our own-label Cava wines, and delighted, too, to name them one of our Wine Society Pioneers for their work on sustainability.

As well as being certified organic since 2018, they’re also SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) certified since 2022, while their own annual sustainability report covers all environment and social aspects, including their carbon footprint, which they have reduced by 36%.

Water use is critical in these days of climate change and Sumarocca only irrigate as permitted by the rules for Cava and only at certain times of the year or to sustain young vines. They use a smart irrigation system that carefully manages the needs of the soil or vine and their biological wastewater management system can recover water from internal processes for reuse, with 87,480 litres recovered in 2025, and they even save some from the vineyards!

A local herd of sheep gets involved here too, introduced to the vineyards in winter and spring, though natural critters are also encouraged on their land, particularly in the forest they own that make up 50% of the property. Here the introduction of bat boxes is a win-win with the bats acting as effective pest controllers. They keep bees, too, and manage many natural habitats in the woods and ravines of the estate, helped by their organic methods.

Community is important in Cava too, with lots of families involved locally. Sumarocca is all about supporting the local community, partnering with local suppliers wherever possible and involving themselves in sustainable wine tourism.