5 pét-nats to pack in your picnic basket

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.

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

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

Chuck any lingering notions about our local terroir and break open this bottle to woo your wine-snooty friends. This wine is made in Jordan — Minnesota — but belongs in the global pantheon of top-shelf pét-nats. A pale golden pour dances sprightly in your mouth, and calls out to be paired with foods like brats and sauerkraut or grilled mushrooms with woody herbs. It walks the line between tart and soft with a rich backbone built to carry those bold flavors. Even hip fine-dining spots like Bûcheron stock this bottle.

$29.99; find it at Solo Vino, 517 Selby Av., St. Paul, solovinowines.com

Orange wine can be a tricky mistress; the funky ferments can either be really cool, or something you have to work to enjoy. This one, named for Paddington’s favorite toast topping, is a muscat blended with equal parts of chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. There’s a faint peppery floral scent like freesia, grassy herbs and a round, soft mouthfeel that would be great with smoked whitefish or even cold fried chicken.

$23.99; find it at South Lyndale Liquors, 5516 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., southlyndale.com

This NA sparkling beverage drinks like a best-friend rosé and is a picnic must for those who don’t drink alcohol or those who don’t mind taking a break from the heavier stuff. Made with chamomile, raspberries, river salt and verjus, it has a dry finish with a fizzy bitter vibrancy ideal for any kind of rich food, but especially charcuterie and ripe, red fruits.

$30; find it at Marigold, 3506 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., and 2236 Carter Av., St. Paul; shopmari.gold