Pét-Nat
Winemaking · Intermediate · 2 min read
Pét-Nat, short for pétillant naturel, is a style of sparkling wine made by the ancestral method. The wine is bottled before the first fermentation has finished, so the remaining fermentation in bottle produces the carbon dioxide that makes the fizz. The result is a cloudy, often lightly hazy, naturally sparkling wine with lower pressure and a softer, more rustic character than méthode traditionnelle.
How Pét-Nat is made
The process is the simplest of all sparkling wine methods. Grapes are picked and pressed as for a still wine, but the fermentation is interrupted by bottling, usually with a small amount of residual sugar still to convert. The fermentation continues in bottle, producing carbon dioxide, which dissolves into the wine. The wine is then aged on its lees for a few months, often without riddling or disgorgement, and shipped cloudy with the lees in suspension.
Because the wine is not disgorged, it is usually cloudy, and it often has a slight spritz rather than the firm mousse of a méthode traditionnelle. The flavours are typically more rustic, more fruity and more variable from bottle to bottle. Pét-Nat is sometimes called the most natural of sparkling wines, because the intervention is minimal.
Pét-Nat in the UK
Pét-Nat is a small but growing category in the UK, made by a handful of producers who want a more natural, lower-intervention style. Litmus Wines, Offbeat Wines in Hackney, Tuffnell's, and a few other small producers have released Pét-Nat wines, usually from early-picked Chardonnay, Bacchus or Pinot Noir. The volumes are tiny, often only a few hundred cases per year, and the wines are usually sold direct to consumer or through specialist natural wine merchants.
UK Pét-Nat is a niche product, but it has a strong following among the natural wine community, and it is a useful outlet for early-picked fruit that might not fit a more conventional style. The category is likely to grow slowly, in parallel with the more traditional styles of English sparkling.
How to serve Pét-Nat
Pét-Nat is best served chilled, around 6 to 10 degrees Celsius, in a regular wine glass rather than a flute. The lower pressure means a flute is not necessary, and a glass with a wider bowl lets the aromas open up. The wine should be opened carefully, because the sediment can be lively, and it is usually best consumed within a year or two of bottling, while the fruit is still fresh.
Food pairings include a wide range of casual dishes, including charcuterie, soft cheeses, salads, grilled fish and many vegetarian options. Pét-Nat is also a good match for spicy food, where the slight sweetness and lower alcohol are more forgiving than a drier, more structured style.