You may have noticed that all the cool kids have been swapping their Pinot for a Pét-Nat down at the local pub. So what exactly is it? And how do you drink it? Allow us to explain.

What does Pét-Nat mean?

More than just a natty wine buzzword, Pét-Nat is an ancient method of making sparkling wine that actually predates Champagne. Pétillant Naturel (which translates to ‘naturally sparkling’ in French), also known as méthode ancestrale, can be traced back to 16th century southern France, despite the absence of trendy wine shops at the time.

How is Pét-Nat made?

Simply put, these wines are bottled before primary fermentation actually finishes. While the yeast is doing its thing, eating up sugar and converting it into alcohol, it’s also producing carbon dioxide. If we were to bottle this partially-fermented liquid and seal it while the yeast still has some work to do, the CO2 essentially has nowhere to go but back into the liquid, creating bubbles (science).

However, not all Pét-Nat is created equal. Bottle too early and the excess pressure dooms you to gushing bottles, foaming over for what seems like days, until half your bottle ascends into natty wine heaven. Bottle too late and the yeast has already won, with too little remaining sugar to produce enough CO2 for fizz – what have I done to deserve this flat, lifeless drink?

Despite its often playful, rustic nature, the ancestral method demands winemaking finesse. It’s a fine line between Pet-Nat and Pét-Not.

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How is Pét-Nat different from Champagne?

If we were to allow the juice to carry out primary fermentation until dry, the Champagne method comes into play. Also known as the traditional method, or méthode traditionnelle, additional yeast and sugar is added to the base cuvée (still wine) for a secondary fermentation, producing both alcohol and (you guessed it) carbon dioxide.

Why is Pét-Nat cloudy?

Another step in the Champagne method is disgorging, in which any remaining sediment is removed from the bottles by inverting them and freezing the neck. This is particularly uncommon in Pét-Nat, though sometimes carried out by more fastidious winemakers in search of clarity, stability and to minimise any aforementioned gushing.

Without disgorging, the dead yeast cells (or lees, which sounds a little less confronting) leftover from fermentation remain in the bottle, resulting in the alluring haze or cloudiness that still seems to divide a room. Totally safe to drink, by the way – if anything, it builds texture and mouthfeel. Dig in.

Not a fan of the muck? Let the bottle stand upright before opening and pour gently. Oh, and chill it right down to temper any explosiveness (hot tip: always keep a glass handy).

Is Pét-Nat a natural or organic wine?

Pét-Nat isn’t always organic. It can be produced from conventionally farmed grapes – think herbicides, pesticides and other nasty synthetics and chemicals in the vineyard – or fermented with cultured, commercial yeasts rather than wild.

However this ancient technique lends itself to minimal intervention, essentially tinkering with the wine as little as possible, and as such is an important part of the natural wine movement. This extends to the absence of sulphur at bottling, which would essentially bring fermentation to a halt, somewhat self-defeating, as the CO2 produced acts as natural protection against oxidation – so it’s accidentally preservative free. Very cool.

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