Petillant-naturel (Pét-Nat)
/pe.tijɑ̃.na.tyʁɛl/
sparkling-wine, production-methods, natural-wine, fermentation, ancestral-method, bottle-conditioned, lees, effervescence, french-terms, service•Last updated January 2, 2026
Pétillant-naturel (pét-nat) is a naturally sparkling wine made by bottling the wine before primary fermentation is finished, so that fermentation completes in the sealed bottle and traps carbon dioxide for a gentle to lively fizz. Typically involving a single fermentation with minimal intervention, pét-nats are often lightly sparkling, sometimes cloudy, and usually lower in pressure and more rustic than traditional-method sparkling wines.
Examples
- A Loire Valley Chenin Blanc pét-nat that is bottled while fermentation is still active, finishes fermenting in bottle, and is sold under crown cap with a slight haze and crunchy green-apple and quince aromas.
- A Gamay rosé pét-nat from Beaujolais, made with indigenous yeasts and no dosage, showing bright red-berry fruit, gentle froth, and visible lees sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
- An Australian Semillon pét-nat, unfiltered and bottled early, opened well-chilled and poured carefully to manage the cloudiness and preserve its fresh lemon and bread-dough notes.