Heavy Petting: Vintage Gets to Second Base with Pét-Nats

Pét-nats have been trying to get with us for a while. There’s been some flirting and some handholding, but we weren’t emotionally mature enough to go any further. Until now!

“Pét-nat” is short for Pétillant-Naturel, which means “naturally sparkling.” A brief primer on how pét-nats are made… first, you take the must (unfermented grape juice) and let that stuff begin to ferment with the native yeasts that come in off the vineyards. Then, once partially fermented, bottle that stuff—the juice and the yeasts, and let the rest of the fermentation play out in the bottle. Because pét-nats must rely on the natural yeasts and sugars straight from the vine, they tend to be lower in alcohol and their level of fizz a bit unpredictable from bottle to bottle. The good news? A lower alcohol content makes these wines incredibly easy to drink, and they’re a versatile food pairing pal. From fresh and raw to grilled or fried and spicy—it all works.

Things are starting to get serious between pét-nats and us. We think this might be the wine style of our dreams. Don’t tell our parents.