Pet Nat
Pétillant naturel, or Pet Nat, refers to wines made by the so-called ancestral method. Must is bottled before fermentation has completed, meaning that sugar continues to be converted into alcohol and CO2 in the bottle. Pet Nat wines are often left unfiltered/disgorged, giving them a hazy appearance.
The quirky, cloudy fizz is now made by many producers in the UK.
In London, the likes of Renegade and Vagabond are leading the charge. The former has just launched a new expression, made from Herefordshire-grown Bacchus grapes. Renegade has only made 2,100 bottles of this wine, which is left unfiltered and unfined and has no added sugar, sulphur or riddling agents. Vagabond also makes a similar style wine, which it calls ‘Pet-Not’.
For something a bit different, Tillingham in East Sussex has a range of wines that fit the bill. The brainchild of the former CEO of Gusbourne, Ben Walgate, the winery produces a col fondo, another term for undisgorged, using a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier.
Other examples include Westwell’s Ortega Pet Nat, made in Kent; Davenport’s 8.5% ABV Pet Nat, made from Auxerrois (73%), Pinot Meunier (13%), Faber (14%); and Offbeat Wines’ 100% Solaris offering, made by winemaker Daniel Ham.
