What is a Pét-Nat?

Pét-Nat (short for Pétillant Naturel) is a French term that means naturally sparkling or bubbling. It is also known as Méthode Ancestrale or Ancestral Method, referring to how sparkling wines were traditionally made.

Pét-Nat is a sparkling wine made naturally with organic grapes and no additives. Pét-Nat can be White, Red or Rosé wine. It is mostly dry, slightly sweet with a gentle fizziness. Pét-Nats are known for being reasonably priced with lower alcohol content.

How is Pét-Nat wine made?

Wine is bottled while still in the fermentation process in order to trap carbon dioxide. The result is a gentle carbonation. Because the wine juice is not filtered, you will find that Pét-Nats are generally cloudy due to native yeast sediment remaining in the bottle. That sediment adds all sorts of good, complex flavors and aromas to the wine. Some natural winemakers like to remove this sediment, but most embrace how they elevate the wine. You get less bubbles than the Champagne you would pop open at night clubs, but we'll take the less aggressive fizz, healthier option and better price point. We like to call it authentic sparkling wine.

See, with Champagne or non-naturally made sparkling wine, the wine goes through two levels of fermentation. The first is the same as Pét-Nat except lab-made yeast is used and the second is where sugar and additives are used to dictate sweetness level and bubbles. Pét-Nats don’t have this second level of fermentation. It’s as simple as pressing juice and bottling it up with a crown cork (those you see on beer) and letting the wine do its own thing, naturally without any bullshit.

Pét-Nat originated in Loire Valley, France and is where it is most commonly found, however producers in the U.S. (from California to New York) and other parts of the world are making them as well and doing a phenomenal job.

Curious? We've made it easy by selecting our faves. All made with organic grapes and natural yeast found in the vineyard.