Newest sparkling wine is a winner
America’s thirst for bubbly wine — including Champagne, California sparkling, Italian prosecco, French cremant and Spanish cava — continues to grow. Now, there’s a new kid on the block: Pét-nat.
That strange term is slang for pétillant-naturel, a French term that basically means naturally sparkling. I like to say pét-nat is halfway between a still and sparkling wine. At first, pét-nat was an obscure sip of wine insiders, a favorite of hipster sommeliers. Not anymore. Pét-nat is making a splash, especially in California.
The recent pét-nat surge grew out of the French natural-wine movement, although this winemaking technique — called methode ancestrale — actually predates Champagne. The wine is fermented with native yeasts that are naturally present in the winery or on the grape skins. Winemakers bottle the wine when it is still fermenting and put a crown cap on it, just like you’d see on a
beer bottle. The fermentation continues in the bottle. Carbon dioxide gas, a fermentation by-product, is trapped in the bottle, creating those natural bubbles. Once fermentation is complete, you’ve got pét-nat.
If you’re a beer fan, you may be thinking pét-nat sounds like a bottle-conditioned beer, and you’d be correct. Many pét-nats are unfiltered, leaving the spent yeast cell sediment behind. So the wine is cloudy or, to borrow a beer term, hazy. With more than a dozen California winemakers now crafting their own pét-nats, we’ve got five reasons why there’s never been a better time to seek out these fresh bubbles.
1. Pét-nat is the perfect fun summer cooler. This slightly effervescent wine is crisp, light and refreshing, and lower in alcohol than many wines, at 11 to 13 percent. That makes these wines food-friendly and perfect for just sipping.
2. Pét-nat is made to drink now. Don’t put that bottle away and forget about it. The wine is still very much alive. Put it in the fridge and chill to very cold, then pop the crown cap. Hint: Keep the bottle upright for several hours before serving, and try not to shake it. Remove the cap slowly; the frothy bubbles may gush out of the bottle if you take the cap off too fast.
3. Say pét-nat and become an instant wine insider. Impress your friends, restaurant sommeliers and wine shop clerks when you ask for a bottle of this “cool” wine.
4. Pét-nat is a great crossover wine from the craft beer world. You might think you’re drinking a sour brew, or even a hard cider, thanks to green apple and other tart, cidery flavors. And some even have a foamy head as frothy as beer when you first pour them.
5. With bottles running between $15 and $40 each, pét-nat is less expensive than most Champagne.