Shhh - we just made a secret "Pet Nat" sparkling wine!

If you're a wine enthusiast, you might have heard of a relatively new style of sparkling wine called "Pet Nat," short for Pétillant Naturel. Pet Nats have become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. They offer a unique taste experience and are made using an old-school, hands-on approach to winemaking that's hard to come by these days.

At our winery, we're excited to offer a new Pet Nat that we're particularly proud of, made from a blend of grapes from two of our vineyards. Due to the small batch, our Pet Nat is only available at wine pairing dinners we'll be holding in 2023 (we'll keep you posted on our calendar and newsletter). 

Our Pet Nat is made by bottling wine before fermentation is complete, allowing the remaining sugar to ferment naturally in the bottle. This process creates carbon dioxide, which gives the wine its signature fizz. Unlike traditional sparkling wines, which are often made using more modern winemaking techniques, Pet Nats are bottled unfiltered and unsulfured, which gives them a unique, rustic quality.

We started our Pet Nat with Edelweiss grapes, which we picked by hand and fermented in stainless steel tanks. We then bottled the wine before fermentation was complete and let it continue to ferment in the bottle. We used crown caps instead of corks to keep the carbonation in, as is typical for Pet Nats.

Once the wine had finished fermenting, we left it to rest on its lees (the dead yeast cells that accumulate at the bottom of the bottle) for several months. This process helps to give the wine its unique character and adds complexity to the flavor profile.

So what sets our Pet Nat apart? We believe it's a combination of factors. First, we're proud of our grapes, which come from sustainably farmed vineyards and are carefully tended throughout the growing season. Second, our winemaker is experienced and passionate about creating high-quality, unique wines and is a big fan of Pet Nats. Finally, we think our Pet Nat's flavor profile is truly exemplary. It's bright and effervescent, with notes of green apple and citrus, and a subtle yeasty quality that's characteristic of the Pet Nat style.

If you're interested in trying our Pet Nat, sign up for our newsletter to keep an eye out for our upcoming wine pairing dinners. We're excited to share this labor of love with wine lovers and hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do!