Funky Loire pét nat was born for goat cheese pizza (#Winophiles)

OK, I admit it – I like off-beat, quirky, unusual wine (and some people and places, too). So naturally, I’m drawn to funky pét nat.

“Pét nat” stands for pétillant naturel and refers to wine made in the Méthode Ancestrale (ancestral method). It’s a tricky business, really. The winemaker has to bottle and cap the wine while it’s still fermenting. As yeast continues to ferment remaining sugar in the bottle, carbon dioxide (CO2) gets trapped inside. The result is an ever-so-fine bubbly wine.

When Jill at L’Occasion announced the entire Loire Valley as fair game for this month’s French Winophiles event, I became hyper-focused on finding a pét nat – especially after reading in SevenFiftyDaily that a Loire winemaker, quite by accident, was responsible for triggering the revival of this winemaking style. Now these wines are common and popular throughout France and in many other countries, too. (I recently wrote about a zesty Matthias Hager Zweigelt pét nat from Austria.)

Jill left the topic intentionally broad to allow for a range of writing choices. Be sure to check out the blog links at the end of this post, and if reading this in time, please join us Saturday 8/15 at 8 am PT/11 am ET on Twitter with your own Loire wine. Simply follow the #Winophiles hashtag.

Five things I love about pét nat:

1. They’re surprising.
   When I open a pét nat, I’m never entirely sure what I’ll get. Sure, if you’re hosting a special dinner party (as people did before the coronavirus, remember?), perhaps you want to stick to a tried and true varietal or blend. But on your own, why not go wild?
2. They’re fun and unpretentious.
   Bottled still fermenting, these wines are fresh and ready to drink now. They tend to be low in alcohol and bottled with a crown cap, like beer. Wine writers call these wines “easygoing” and not meant to be taken too seriously. Yes and no (see #3 below).
3. They favor natural winemaking.
   Low-intervention techniques – such as allowing naturally occurring yeast to ferment the wine and bottling without fining or filtering – are a common thread among pét nat wines. This approach, in the hands of a skillful winemaker, reveals the essence of the grapes and the region’s terroir (its land and climate).
4. They tend to be small-production, craft wines.
   To stay alive in a highly competitive market, both big and small producers need to consider what sells. I hear a lot of producers say, “I make the most cases of Wine XYZ because it’s my biggest seller.” Or, “My customers come back year after year for XYZ.” But winemakers are artisans, and if given a small batch and a bit of leeway, they’re likely to experiment and possibly innovate – or maybe rediscover an old winemaking process, like that winemaker in the Loire.
5. What’s old is new again.
   Archeologists have found clay shards showing evidence of winemaking that goes back 5,000 to 7,000 years old. Some winemakers are learning from ancient history and opting for clay amphorae as winemaking vessels instead of oak or stainless steel. What else might we glean from the past?

By the way, there is no legal classification for pétillant naturel. Look for the words “sparkling wine made in the Méthode Ancestrale” on the label or a paragraph briefly describing how the wine was made.

The wine – Non-Vintage (NV) Damien Pinon Fines en Bulles Chenin Blanc Touraine AOC

Domaine Pinon is a third-generation, family-owned estate in Vouvray – a well-known name in the Touraine subregion of the central Loire. Vouvray is almost synonymous with Chenin Blanc.

Managed for the last decade by the married team of Ingrid and Damien Pinon, who took over from Damien’s father, the approximately 60-acre estate is planted entirely to Chenin Blanc. Vines, on average, are 30 years old. Soil in these vineyards is the signature tuffeau, a porous, chalky limestone enriched with the fossilized shells of ancient marine creatures.

The farming is lutte raisonnée. I was unfamiliar with this term until now. La lutte raisonnée means “the reasoned struggle.” Conscientiously practiced, lutte raisonée is organic without certification. Chemical herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers are avoided unless the grower faces the potential of severe economic loss. Other sustainable practices at Pinon include grassing over (cover planting between rows), ploughing, and turning the soil.

Grapes for this wine are hand harvested and hand sorted. Only free-run juice is used. The wine is fermented – in oak barrels and using native yeasts only – and aged in a traditional Vouvray cellar (cave) dug into the cliffs of soft tuffeau. No fining or filtration is done before bottling. Sealed with a traditional sparkling wine cork.

Sources: SevenFiftyDaily, Veritas, Pinondamien, Graft Wine Company, Morethanorganic

My tasting notes: Pours a cloudy golden yellow. Strong aromas of brioche, rising bread yeast, and baked apple hit the nose, followed by pear shavings and a lot more apple on a slightly off-dry palate. Warm with a touch of tannin on the mid-palate. Crisp minerality on a medium finish. Medium+ acid. Fine bubbles. Yeasty like beer, yet similar to a sparkling apple cider. All in all, a unique spin on Vouvray Chenin Blanc. Alcohol: 13.5% (high for a pét nat). Price: $25.

The pairing – Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Pizza

Though pét nat was an accidental birth, it has a natural affinity for tangy goat cheese – and the Loire Valley is famous for its goat cheese. This time around, I have to give credit to the old adage, “What grows together, goes together.”

I adapted this très facile recipe by first spreading high-quality crushed tomatoes on a packaged flat-bread pizza crust and then liberally sprinkling oregano, basil, garlic, sea salt, and red pepper flakes over the sauce before adding the toppings.

This pizza – with combined flavors from the peppery arugula, fatty and salty prosciutto, tart goat cheese, and mild mozzarella – pairs like a twin sibling to the yeasty, apple-like, highly mineral Chenin Blanc. A bit of residual sugar (6 grams per liter) mellows the spicy sauce.

The Loire Valley stretches out before you this Saturday 8/15 and in the following posts:

• Muscadet is Not Muscat, Gabure Bigourdane, and (Our Version of) Faire Chabròl | Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Thierry Michon and Domaine Saint Nicolas – Biodynamic Loire Wines |Savor the Harvest
• Savennières and Vouvray: Two Tastes of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc | The Swirling Dervish
• Sweet Wines from the Loire | Avvinare
• Made it to Dessert with a Vouvray | Keep the Peas
• A Visit to Loire with Thierry Puzelat of Organic Clos du Tue-Boeuf: Part 1 Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc with Summer Squash Tart | Wine Predator
• Turkey and Cabbage Skillet Recipe with Pouilly-Fumé | Cooking Chat
• Enjoying Summer Food with Chinon Wine and a Fun Book | A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cooking to the Wine: “Brendan Stater-West Saumur Les Chapaudaises and Chicken Thighs with Apples and Onions | Somm’s Table
• Summer Sipping: B&G Chenin Blanc and Crispy Baked Pork Chops | Our Good Life
• Montlouis-sur-Loire – 2 Rivers, 3 Zeros and some delicious sparkling wine | Crushed Grape Chronicles
• Exploring the Loire Valley From My Balcony with #Winophiles! | The Quirky Cork
• Funky Loire Pet Nat was born for goat cheese pizza | My Full Wine Glass
• A Crémant de Loire, a Vouvray, and a Rosé D’anjou – I’m all set for the summer | Chinese Food and Wine Pairings
• Touraine Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley – Where Wine andHistory Reign | Grape Experiences
• Getting “Au Naturel” with Damien and Didier Richou ‘Les D en Bulles’ Méthode Ancestrale | ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Wine Thirsty? That’s No Problem in France’s Loire Valley | L’Occasion