{"id":10125,"date":"2022-08-26T14:38:49","date_gmt":"2022-08-26T19:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?p=10125"},"modified":"2022-08-28T14:06:57","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T19:06:57","slug":"south-australia-pet-nat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2022\/08\/south-australia-pet-nat\/","title":{"rendered":"Surprise! South Australia P\u00e9t-Nat is on the Rise #WorldWineTravel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yes, it\u2019s known for swoon worthy Barossa Shiraz and Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, not to mention some mighty fine Clare Valley Riesling, but dig a little deeper and you\u2019ll find some other gems in South Australia. The last several years have seen a marked increased in the amount of what I like to call \u201cquirky bubbles\u201d in the region. To be sure, the demand for P\u00e9tillant Natural (aka p\u00e9t-nat) wine Down Under is on the rise and producers all over the country are trying their hands at making it. Among the wine rising to the top is South Australia p\u00e9t-nat. These fun, fizzy bubbles are made from a wide variety of grapes and are absolutely worth seeking out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Led by Deanna of Wineivore<\/strong><\/a>, the World Wine Travel group of bloggers is exploring the world of Australian and Tasmanian sparkling and fortified wine. It\u2019s always great to see what wines the other writers come up with and I always learn so much during our Twitter chats. For me, I\u2019m quite excited to share my South Australia p\u00e9t-nat finds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Australia Primer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Undoubtedly one of the most important states in Australia when it comes to wine, South Australia is home to the historic regions of Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. These regions, along with Eden Valley and Clare Valley contain some of Australia\u2019s (and the world\u2019s) oldest vines – some date back to the 1840s – thanks to largely being spared from phylloxera. Viticulture has existed here for almost 200 years under the care and custody of several multi-generational families. All told, wine production is carried out in all 18 South Australian regions which has earned it the title of Great Wine Capital of Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
South Australia wine map courtesy of Wine Folly<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To be sure, South Australia is blessed with a variety of geographic and climactic characteristics which allows it to be able to produce a wide range of grape varieties from cool climate Riesling in Clare Valley to the big and bold Shiraz of Barossa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon of Coonawarra. It is home to wine royalty the likes of Penfolds, Yalumba, and Jacob\u2019s Creek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while the history and dedication provide the foundation, young, new winemakers are beginning to make their mark in modern Australian wine. And many of them are doing it with p\u00e9t-nat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is P\u00e9t-Nat?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e9tillant Natural (aka p\u00e9t-nat) wines are sparkling wines made using the Ancestral Method (aka M\u00e9thode Ancestrale). This is generally believed to be one of the earliest forms of sparkling wine production. Instead of two fermentations like we see with Traditional Method wines like Champagne and Cava, the Ancestral Method has just one fermentation. The still fermenting wine is bottled and is sometimes topped with a crown cap that you\u2019d usually see on a beer bottle. The process results in a wine that it slightly fizzy due to the trapped carbon dioxide (2-4 atmospheres), fruity, lower alcohol, some with a touch of sweetness \u2013 and a little bit of funk. And most importantly, they go down super-easy! Just add the beach and some sun, and you\u2019re in for a treat!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because these wines are low intervention, they tend to be more \u201cnatural\u201d and rustic. Typically nothing is added to, or removed from the wine. No fining, no filtering, no additives, which also explains why some of these wines are cloudy and have bits of sediment floating around. Yes, with these wines, you get what you get. To be sure, when you pop a bottle of p\u00e9t-nat, you never know what you may get. That may occasionally include the wine exploding or gushing out of the bottle as the wines can be somewhat unstable. Pro-tip: Make sure the wines are ice cold when you open them. I previously did a deep dive on Texas p\u00e9t-nat wines<\/strong><\/a>, which just made me thirsty for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Australia P\u00e9t-Nat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The only parameter for p\u00e9t-nat is its fermentation style, so these wines run the gamut from more traditional grapes and combinations, to the use of emerging varieties and eccentric blends. Everything from red, white, to ros\u00e9 is fair game. Basically, there is fruit salad of opportunitiy when it comes to South Australia p\u00e9t-nat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regions of Riverland, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale are seeing a host of new and progressive winemakers that are hyper-focused on sustainability, whether using organic viticulture, biodynamics, dry farming, etc., as well as willing to explore unique and different varieties that break all the rules. Think Italian varieties like Montepulciano, Fiano, Vermentino, and Nero d’Avola. For these winemakers, it\u2019s all about finding varieties that are amenable to South Australia\u2019s sometimes warm and dry climate. We hung out by the pool with some meat and cheese and tried a couple of South Australia p\u00e9t-nat wines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"