9 best pét nat wines for a naturally sparkling tipple

Pét nat (short for pétillant naturel) is a style of natural sparkling wine that sees the wine moved from the tank (or barrel) to finish its fermentation in the bottle. This style of winemaking is traditionally known as the “méthode ancestrale” and originates from Limoux, a southern France wine region of which the namesake vino is thought to be the original sparkling wine.

Pét nats have since been adopted by natural winemakers. There is no filtration, so sediment is often found at the bottom of the bottle, resulting in grassy hay flavours. Pét nat can be unpredictable, and the crown cap (rather than cork) closing gives an almost craft beer feel. The style is much simpler than champagne, and the bubbles are lighter than those in prosecco, with the flavour ranging from fresh fruit and herbal notes to those of brioche and pastries.

The joy of this kind of wine is there are no, and anything in between.