Sitting somewhere lush and grassy, accompanied by a basket packed with care, it makes sense to want to pour a bottle of something special to honor the natural setting. Pét-nats, or pétillant natural wines, are growing in popularity as wine drinkers educate themselves by digging deeper into biodynamically grown wines.
Making pét-nats involves bottling wine with a small amount of natural yeast, before fermentation is complete. The wines continue to ferment inside the bottle. Part of the challenge and delight of these wines comes from the dedication of their makers. The grapes are washed so a hint of natural yeast remains, but yet the grapes stay stable enough not to throw a big bubble party, which can result in funky flavors.
“You need the chemistry to work,” said Alex White, grand sommelier at 801 Chophouse in downtown Minneapolis. “It’s an opportunity to drink in harmony with the landscape.” These wines are largely from makers who are deeply dedicated to the care of the land and their grapes in a way that does as little as possible to fiddle with it, from the vines to adding ingredients in the bottle.
The flavors are eminently crushable with varying degrees of effervescence; earthy and grassy flavors mingle with crisp, early season fruit and a little foggy swish in the color from the fermentation. And when the bottles are this good, they’re perfect for porch party days and pairing with picnic snacks. Here are five to try.
Buddy Buddy Crush on You
This is the wine begging to be paired with a bold cheese selection. Chenin blanc is fermented with pear and apple ciders for a minerally tart flavor that would cut right through some taleggio or enliven a rich Wisconsin brat with stone-ground mustard. All the fruits are organically grown in California and come together inside the bottle for a zesty little sipper.
$28.99; find it at Henry & Son, 1220 Glenwood Av., Mpls., shophenryandson.com
Meinklang ‘Prosa’ Frizzante Rosé
Smelling faintly of highbush cranberry jelly, barely ripe raspberry and just a bit of grassy country land, this all-pinot-noir rosé comes from a vineyard that’s dedicated to the old way of farming, meaning cattle, grapes and extended families are raised alongside one another. The Austrian name Meinklang translates to “my sound,” evoking the bells hung around cows’ necks. Its bright tartness would pair gorgeously with a ripe tomato, basil and butter sandwich, or an olive oil-dressed summer squash salad.
$24.99; find it at France 44 Wines & Spirits, 4351 France Av. S., Mpls., france44.com
