2021 Wood Family Vineyards “Groovy Wagon” Pét-Nat
Wood Family Vineyards just introduced their new wine called 2021 “Groovy Wagon”. It is a Pétillant Naturel, or Pét-Nat for short, style using 100% Grenache grapes. First a quick tutorial on pet nat. Pét-Nat is a not a new method of making a “bubbling wine” as it dates back to the pre-Champagne era. The process in making Pét-Nat is called méthode ancestral. The wine is bottled prior to fully completing its first fermentation. This allows carbon dioxide to develop by the natural sugars in the grapes. Méthode champenoise requires a secondary fermentation of yeast and sugar. Champagne must be disgorged. Pét-Nat may or may not be filtered on completion of fermentation. The bottle is cloudy due to the remaining lees present and no filtration. This produces a more rustic and lively wine reflecting the terroirs of the grapes. Wood Family Vineyards Pét-Nat provides the basic Grenache profiles, but with effervescence and brightness of the fruit. A beautiful peach color on the eyes and has a slight tartness on the palate of green apple and grapefruit, along with more typical Grenache fruit traits. A wonderful patio pounder on a warm afternoon or evening. Only 30 cases produced and it is an exclusive for their Club Members. This wine sells for $30 minus wine club discount.
Key hints for serving Pét-Nat:
- Serve it very cold
- Have your glasses ready to go as up to a quarter of the bottle may froth over. Best to let the beginning sentiment (dead yeast) come out then catch some of the clearer “foam” with the glasses. Then pour the remaining wine.
- Best to open over a sink or some kind of containment (large pot).
Who knows with an impending Champagne shortage on the horizon due to global warm, supply chain, government directives, etc., (read: https://www.winemag.com/2021/12/15/champagne-shortage-why/?utm_campaign=3063581_BIE%2012%2F27&utm_medium=email&utm_source=dotmailer&dm_i=28KR,1TNVH,7D4YXZ,6BH74,1) Pét-Nat may be your more convenient chose of bubbles in the future???
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://woodfamilyvineyards.com/
For more background information on Wood Family Vineyard click on: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/02/10/wood-family-vineyards-2/
California Wines & Wineries 