The light sparkling wine called petillant naturel--nicknamed pet-nat or pet'nat--is in my view the best drink for summer. Lighter and
fruitier than Champagne, a great pet'nat is everything, and
fun, too. It is the perfect bbq wine, picnic wine, patio wine, pizza
wine. Pet'nat should be your bff, especially in the summer.
Pet'nat is naturally made, without the fuss of Methode Champagnois. The wine is simply allowed to finish fermentation
inside the bottle, rather than in the tank or barrel, trapping the CO2
gas that's produced by fermentation inside the bottle, thus
creating a fizzy wine. The amount of fizz or pressure is about half that
of Champagne, hence pet'nat is delicate, oftentimes off-dry, and
usually delicious and refreshing. The natural flavors of grape juice are
still fresh and lively. pet'nats are fun and easy to enjoy.
The best pet'nat I've come across these days is the one made by Domaine
de l'Octavin in the Jura. Called "Foutre d'Escampette", it is 100%
Chardonnay grown in the La Mailloche vineyards in Arbois. La Mailloche
is reputed to be one of the best sites for Chardonnay in the Jura.
Recently, the Domaine the Marquis d'Angerville from Burgundy bought a
parcel there.Octavin is owned and run by the young winemaking couple, Alice Bouvot and Charles Dagand. They farm their vineyards organically and biodynamically. No sulfites or any additives are applied to their wines. They also don't fine and filter, so sediments are always present in their wines, a proof of purity. This pet'nat was vinified whole-cluster and bottled while still fermenting. Delicate with just 11.5% alcohol, yet its off-dry fruity flavors are delicious and brimming with fresh energy.
Domaine de l'Octavin is
small but their wines are highly sought after and appear on wine lists
of some of the most progressive wine bars and restaurants in Paris and
elsewhere in Europe, including Noma in Copenhagen (voted best
restaurant in the world), and in Japan.
I'm pleased to say Vineyard Gate is one of the few stores in the country to regularly stock Domaine de l'Octavin wines.Vin de France "Foutre d'Escampette", Domaine de l'Octavin NV $29.00 (order here)
