Pet Nats
“Pet Nat” is an abbreviation for “Pétillant Naturel,” which means “naturally sparkling” in French. It is a method for producing naturally sparkling wines, also known as the “Méthode Ancestrale.” In this method, the wine is bottled after the first fermentation, allowing it to undergo a second fermentation in the bottle. This creates natural carbonation, giving the wine its sparkling quality.
Unlike the traditional method of making Champagne, in which the wine is first fully fermented and then undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle by adding sugar and yeast, the Pétillant Naturel production process is a single, continuous fermentation process.
Pet Nat wines can be white, rosé, or red, and they are often cloudy because they are usually not filtered or clarified. They can also have varying levels of residual sugar, depending on when the first fermentation was stopped. These wines are known for their freshness and lively, often fruity character. They are also generally lower in alcohol compared to many other types of wine.
