Pet Nat wine | What is a Pet-Nat?
Pét Nat, aka 'Pétillant Naturel' are sparkling wines which finish their fermentation IN the bottle. They're usually fun, fresh, and in our opinion, have just the right balance of fizz. Browse a range of sparkling Pet-Nat natural wines from top producers all over the world - orange pet nats, white pet nats, red pet nats and more!
The Ancestral method
While pet nats might seem like a hip new fad, the method of winemaking used (called the Ancestral method) is actually one of the oldest for making lightly sparkling wine! Unlike the fully sparkling traditional method wines of Champagne, Cremant or Cava, these wines are produced by a single fermentation (whilst traditional method wines see two fermentations).
The trick lies in the partially fermented juice being bottled, with no SO2 addition. The fermentation then finishes inside that very bottle. As the yeasts convert sugar to alcohol and complete their journey to dryness (leaving a little residual sugar behind) the by-product of carbon dioxide is created and captured in the bottle - voila, bubbles!
The trick lies in the partially fermented juice being bottled, with no SO2 addition. The fermentation then finishes inside that very bottle. As the yeasts convert sugar to alcohol and complete their journey to dryness (leaving a little residual sugar behind) the by-product of carbon dioxide is created and captured in the bottle - voila, bubbles!
But what do pet nats taste like?
They’re typically low alcohol, fresh, with vibrant fruit and often have a slight lingering sweetness on the palate. The mouthfeel is often quite rounded and some can feel that bready/yeasty quality in the wines.
The beauty is - they are all different! The sheer amount of winemakers around the world making pet nats keep it interesting for even the most seasoned natural wine drinkers.
The beauty is - they are all different! The sheer amount of winemakers around the world making pet nats keep it interesting for even the most seasoned natural wine drinkers.
