If you’ve never heard of the term “Pét-Nat” in the world of wine, you’re definitely not alone. Although these wines have been burgeoning in popularity the last few years, Pét-Nat is a style of winemaking, not a type of grape, that has been around for centuries. Known officially as pétillant naturel (pet•see•yawn), but commonly shortened to “Pét-Nat” because it’s much easier to say, the term refers to a wine that is “naturally sparkling”. So yes, this is a sparkling wine very similar to Champagne, but made in a much different method and (in our opinion) results in wines that are way more fun to drink.
To compare Champagne-style wines to Pét-Nat, there are a lot of similarities but a lot that is different as well. Think of it in terms of the two wines being classmates in school. The Champagne-style wine is the studious one, book smart but also super popular. This wine was probably the valedictorian and also part of the homecoming court. It is the safe bet. Pét-Nat on the other hand hangs out in a different social clique. This is a wine that could probably get a 4.0 GPA if it wanted to, but instead chooses to ditch 6th period to go smoke pot in the parking lot on campus. It is the unruly rebel that the head cheerleader falls in love with instead of the quarterback. There is a wild and unpredictable side to Pét-Nat which is what makes it so intriguing.
Okay, you’re right, enough of the high school analogies. You get the point. So, how is Pét-Nat made? Glad you asked. Most Champagne-style wine is made through controlled techniques and created from a finished, still wine that undergoes a second fermentation. There is also the process of disgorging, the extraction of the expired yeast (also called lees) from the bottle. All of this takes time and these wines require a lot more energy and effort to put forth a finished product. Pét-Nat is much different in this regard. Rather than start with a finished still wine, Pét-Nat is made with a wine that is still undergoing primary fermentation. Right before the fermentation is finished, the wine is bottled and capped to allow the fermentation to actually finish inside the closed bottle. As the yeast finishes munching away at the last bit of sugar remaining in the bottle, the byproduct of this process is carbon dioxide which is trapped and has nowhere to go. Voilà! You now have your bubbles for your sparkling wine.
In the end, the biggest discrepancy from a winemaking perspective is that Pét-Nat is a lot less predictable than a Champagne-style of wine typically can be. There is a lot left to chance. Does this mean that Pét-Nat wines are not as good as those made in the traditional Champagne method? Not at all. Pét-Nat is just different. A lot, if not overwhelmingly most, of the Pét-Nat wines you will find are very natural stylistically. There is minimal intervention, meaning the wine is not really manipulated by the winemaker whatsoever. Most are unfiltered and not disgorged, so the expired yeast is going to be hanging out in the bottle right up until you drink it. Don’t let that freak you out. The lees (once again, expired yeast) contribute enormous amounts of flavor to the wine and are not harmful whatsoever.
Other defining characteristics of Pét-Nat wines will be in look and taste. One visual cue that a Pét-Nat is a Pét-Nat comes from the cloudy, hazy appearance of the wine itself. This is a result of most Pét-Nats not being filtered, so the yeast and other particulates that are commonly removed to give a wine its clarity still remain. Don’t let the fact that we intentionally leave the lees in the bottle dissuade you from drinking these wines. They’re meant to be raw and natural. In terms of appearance, the other visual and/or tasting difference that you might notice is that Pét-Nat wines are not as effervescent, or not as bubbly, as a normal Champagne-style sparkling would commonly be. In fact, wines made in the Pét-Nat method seem to almost straddle this line between wine and beer. Lastly, if you are every perusing through the aisles of your local wine shop, the biggest telltale clue that a wine is indeed a Pét-Nat is the closure on top. It you see a crown cap instead of a cork, chances are good that you’ve found the Pét-Nat wines you were looking for.
We decided to start making a Pét-Nat at Ricci Vineyards because the natural inclinations and versatility of the winemaking style appealed to us. Let’s face it, Champagne-style wines are great, but they can be a little stodgy and stuffy at times. Also, most Champagne-style wines are made using a very narrow swath of grape varietals. One of the coolest things about Pét-Nat is that it can be made with virtually any type of grape. The limits are boundless and that’s exciting. For our initial voyage into the world of Pét-Nat, we ultimately decided to use the 809 “Muscat” clone of Chardonnay. Once we discovered we could make a Pét-Nat, and make it well, we expanded our sparkling wine portfolio by introducing a pét-nat made with our Pinot Noir grapes (in particular, our VCR18, ultra-rare Italian clone Pinot Noir). Our “Spazzino” Pét-Nat has become one of the most popular and intriguing wines we’ve ever produced. The hazy, unfiltered and ruggged nature of these wines, we believe, contributes to their cool factor and brings a layer of uniqueness and complexity that speaks to nature of our vineyard and to the Ricci wine brand as a whole.
Ultimately, we know that this style of wine may not resonate with everyone. Maybe you’re a Champagne purist, or maybe you just don’t like bubbly wine, but regardless these pét-nat wines should never be discredited. Give them a shot because as the weather starts to warm and outings to parks, beaches, lakes and rivers become more commonplace, this will be a bottle you will instinctively grab from your ice chest as your default Summer-sipper.
