What is Pet-Nat Sparkling Wine

Everything you should know about the world’s oldest naturally sparkling wine

Pet-Nat, short for Pétillant Naturel, has burst onto the wine scene some years ago. Among wine enthusiasts, the style has quickly gained popularity while at the same time it strongly divided opinions. Which continues to do to this day, though it seems Pet-Nat has found its fooding more recently.

But what exactly is Pet-Nat? How is it made, and more importantly, how does it taste?

In short, Pet-Nat is a sparkling wine that is produced naturally with no intervention in the cellar. Which is resulting in an easy-to-drink, funky and refreshing sparkling wine, which if you ask me, tastes delicious.

By the way, calling it Pet-Nat sparkling wine is technically wrong as it is stating the same twice, since Pet-Nat by nature is a sparkling wine. I am doing it nevertheless, assuming those unfamiliar with Pet-Nat might not necessarily be in the know.

It’s likely fair to say that growing interest in Pet-Nat sparkling wines is largely based on a low alcohol content in combination with bright, juicy fruit flavours. Plus, Pet-Nat belongs to the ‘natural wine’ segment since it’s made with nearly no intervention. Thus, perfectly hitting the preferred taste profile and sustainability conscious mindset of today’s wine customers. 

And while it might seem a new-bee created to cater to a younger generation of wine lover, Pet-Nat has been around longer than champagne. The style originally comes from the Loire Valley in France, where it has been since already more than 500 years.

Do I have your attention? Did you get curious and want to know more about Pet-Nat and perhaps want to buy a bottle or two to try for yourself? Then read on to learn all you should know about the world’s oldest naturally sparkling wine before heading to the next wine shop near you.

How is Pet-Nat sparkling wine made?

Pet-Nat is made according to the Méthode Ancestral, also referred to as Méthode Rural, which predates the Méthode Traditionelle used for making champagne.

While both styles are producing sparkling wines, there is a huge difference in the process and the final product.

Sparkling wines made according to the traditional method such as champagne are made from a tank-fermented base of still wine which is bottled and mixed with yeast and sugar. The wine is then undergoing a second fermentation in the bottle, which produces alcohol and carbon dioxide (the bubbles). The wine is then aged, which produces dead yeast cells (the lees). To develop its particular characteristics, aging continues for a few years on the lees in the bottle. This is followed by disgorging and adding the dosage (a mixture of white wine, brandy and sugar to compensate for the amount of wine lost during disgorgement).

Also important to remember, production of champagne and other traditional sparkling wines must follow the specific rules of the various appellations, including the type of grapes allowed, how long the sparkling wine needs to mature on the lees, etc. Plus, some of the traditional sparkling wines are protected by origin which means for example champagne can only be made in the region of Champagne, Franciacorta sparkling wine can only be made in Franciacorta, etc.

Meanwhile, Pet-Nat does not have an official definition and there are no specific production rules. They can be made from any grape variety and in any country and region around the world, and the production process is completely natural with no or very limited intervention in the cellar.

Pet-Nat is bottled while the first fermentation is still ongoing. Fermentation continues in the bottle, which is creating the bubbles. Pet-Nat is not filtered or clarified which usually leads to a cloudy appearance due to the sediment that remains in the bottle. There is no dosage (additional sugar) added either.

All this does not mean winemakers will not pay attention to the process.

Seeing a growing interest in natural wine, many winemakers have jumped onto the Pet-Net train, and they have quickly started to develop an understanding how to tread this particular sparkler to assure good quality and consistency.

For example, grapes need to be harvested at optimal ripeness. Pet-Nat also requires a good understanding of the right time bottling the still fermenting juice. If bottled too early, excess pressure will result in the wine spilling out the bottle when opened. If bottled too late, the remaining sugar content will be too low to produce enough CO2 to create bubbles.

Finally, while winemakers are using this freedom to experiment with any grape variety they want, certain varieties are particularly well suited to produce Pet-Nat. For example, varieties producing a good acidity like Riesling or Muscat, and juicy red varieties produce excellent Pet-Nat wines.

What is the typical style of Pet-Nat?

The exciting part of Pet-Nat is that it comes in a wide variety of styles.

Since it can be made from nearly any grape variety, in any wine region across the world, Pet-Nat comes in an impressing range of different flavour profiles, from sweet and fruity to dry and spicy. Plus, it comes in any (wine) colour from white to rosé, orange, and red.

The wide variety of styles and flavour profiles apart, Pet-Nat can usually be described as fresh, lively, and fruit forward. Compared to champagne, it is typically less creamy and yeasty. They will be fizzy but due to the lack of a second fermentation in the bottle, the bubbles are much gentler and the pressure in the bottle is lower.

All that said, opening a bottle of Pet-Nat always means a certain level of uncertainty and surprise in taste. Which of course is part of the fun.

Speaking of the typical style, one denominator you can expect are bottles with funky and fun labels, and unusual names. Sitting on the shelves next to ‘traditional’ wines (both sparkling and still), which is now more often the case, these bottles can easily look like they have been put there by mistake. Bearing fun names, often colourful labels and most bottles being sealed with a crown cap, they are indeed a very different affair.

How should Pet-Nat be served?

This is a type of sparkling wine that is not meant to be taken too seriously. Though Pet-Nat has a certain aging potential, there is no real point in doing so. It’s a sparkling wine that should be enjoyed once it is released, around one to three years from harvest.

As most bottles will still contain sediment, Pet-Nat should put upright for a few days before the bottle is opened to allow the sediment to descent to the bottom. Pour carefully to make sure the sediment remains in the bottle.

Pet-Nat is at its best served super chilled. As a rule of thumb, serve white and rosé Pet-Nat at around 6°-7°C, and reds slightly warmer at around 8°C.

Be careful when opening the bottle as the fizzy nature means it can easily spill over.

Is Pet-Nat good for pairing with food?

Pet-Nat is perfect for food pairing. Though its easy drinking style makes it a greet sparkling wine to be enjoyed on its own as aperitif, the wide variety of styles and flavours means, it is hugely versatile with food.

Pet-Nat works perfectly well with rich and fatty foods while also complementing lighter dishes, salads, seafood, sushi, and cured meats. They will also work well with almost any style of pizza and many pasta dishes.

Final thoughts on Pet-Nat

Ready to go out and buy some Pet-Nat for your next aperitivo, get together with friends and just to try for yourself?

Pet-Nat are now indeed made around the world and many excellent wineries that include sparling wine in their ranges are likely to make Pet-Nat as well.  

It’s well worth seeking out available Pet-Nat at a wine store near you. Though you might have to try a couple to get the hang of them.