It is very common for fog to surprise us in the mornings. The surrounding air is not, as usual, clear, but white. It makes us feel like we are living inside a cloud and we can’t see more than a few metres in front of us. This is what we know as fog, low clouds at ground level made up of tiny water droplets that have condensed when they suddenly come into contact with a surface or a cold air current. Vegetation is always grateful to see fog coming, and although there are many types and different environments it forms in, it always causes that dreamlike effect that only natural phenomena can create. In the Penedès region (Catalonia), just 50 km from Barcelona, Arantxa de Cara and Marc Milà who run Can Descregut, bear witness to the benefits of this natural effect that happens in their vineyards. Through the “fumissola”, the Catalan term for the cloud that lies between the vines early in the morning to form a low fog, the terroir where the vines are planted is naturally hydrated, ensuring irrigation, especially in periods when rainfall may be scarce. In honour of this meteorological phenomenon, this young couple, who champion local varieties and minimal intervention, have created Can Descregut Fumissola, a sparkling wine accredited by the Corpinnat collective brand that is a true reflection of the territory.
The result of an unusual coupage of two varieties recovered from the Penedès, Sumoll (red grape) and Xarel·lo Rojo (pink grape), it is almost a blanc de noir born within their 30 hectares of vineyards. These are vines of very rare and almost extinct varieties that have been rescued using certified agriculture and biodynamic practices. Once the grapes reach optimum ripeness, the two varieties are harvested by hand and immediately taken to the winery for vinification. Following the strictest Corpinnat quality controls (Can Descregut has been a member of the collective brand since 2020), the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks with native yeasts and, once the base wine is ready, a second fermentation begins in the bottle following the champenoise method with 36 months aging on the lees.
Original, tasty and with character, Can Descregut Fumissola is a quality sparkling wine from the Penedès with a very limited production (around 3,000 bottles). A Corpinnat made using forgotten varieties from the Penedès that are born and made under the invaluable company of the different meteorological phenomena of the area like the “fumissola”.