Storing & Opening Sparkling Pét-Nat
What is Pét-Nat?
So you’ve heard of it. But what the hell is it? Pét-Nat is short for petillant naturel (aka “naturally bubbling”) and is a sparkling wine made according to the traditional ancestral method. Pét-Nats are bottled while the wine is still fermenting, which results in trapped CO2, creating bubbles. This process requires minimal intervention from the winemaker and, like most wine made naturally, it typically ranges from 10-12% ABV (alcohol by volume). Thanks to their natural yeast, Pét-Nats are exciting and produce funky aromas and characteristics unlike any other style of wine. The traditional method produces the bubbliest of sparkling wines at a whoppin' 5-6 atmospheres of pressure. The result is a rustic and lively wine true to its roots.
How to Store Pét-Nat?
While all sparkling wine should be served cold—both for the best flavor and to keep those bubbles suspended in the wine—the wilder, less-filtered styles especially require it. Essentially, like any wine, you’ll want to store the bottle in a cool, dark spot. Because of the sediment in the bottle, you want to keep the bottle standing upright so that the sediment settles to the bottom. Pét-nat isn’t meant to be kept in a cellar – it can last a year or two if stored properly, but generally speaking, isn’t meant to be aged. In other words, pop a bottle and start enjoying ASAP! Put in the refrigerator to chill before serving, and serve as cold as possible. It is important to put the bottle in the fridge as opposed to an ice bucket because the neck should also stay chilled. If your wines have been shipped, this next part is super important! First, wait 3-6 weeks before opening. We know it’s hard but it’ll be worth the wait.
How to Open Pét-Nat?
Open quickly as most Pet-Nats have lots of bubbles that can spill over. Use a continuous pour into several glasses or into a decanter so as to not kick up the lees at the bottom of the bottle. Stop pouring when you start to see a little sediment pouring out. Leave the lees in the bottle. It is a good idea to pry the crown cap slightly and let the pressure fizzle out before fully opening the bottle, to avoid explosion.
Our Pét-Nats?
The first two times we attempted to make a Pét-Nat, things didn't go as planned. Two years of learning and refinement later, we finally perfected the craft and the result was Space Crush in 2018. How'd it turn out? OH MY GOD. We nailed this one. It is fresh, crisp, and complex with a floral perfume and green apple, peachy notes that endlessly orbit around your mouth. The texture is fascinating, the bubbles so satisfying and the finish extends to the moon.
In 2019, we released the wildly popular Pop-Nat. Tart raspberries and strawberries hit your palate on the first sip, with tiny bubbles that dance across your palate and make way for a wave of crisp acidity.
We released Come, Saints and Sinners the following year. Come, Saints and Sinners is a Carbonic Macerated 100% Petite Sirah Pétillant Naturel sparkling wine made from the legendary Rorick Heritage Vineyard in Calaveras County, California. It's interesting, but not too weird. Complex, but so damn drinkable. Honest to god, this is one of the coolest wines ever produced by Tank Garage Winery.
In April of 2021, we released Tokyo Love Hotel. Big mouthwatering aromas of wild cherry and blackberry candy bubble from the glass. In your mouth, it’s got a zangy intensity of flavor with those fresh flavors of blackberry, raspberry woven into small delicate bubbles. It’s like a Lambrusco plus skittles and we love it!
Introduction to Tank
Hey there! Welcome to Tank Garage Winery, the coolest winery in Napa Valley. No... really. Visiting the tasting room is like taking a trip back in time to a 1920s gas station turned speakeasy, pouring rad as shit wines and playing bomb as hell music. Cool California vibes mixed with vintage decor bring to fruition the most quirky encounter you’ll get at a winery. Every day, we celebrate this crazy dream turned into a movement where we get to do cool shit and you get to come along for the ride. We celebrate the adventurers, the dreamers, the weirdos, the free spirits, and the misfits. So next time you’re in town, you won’t want to miss out. In addition to red wine, white wine, and rose, we also dabble in the dazzling worlds of orange wine, sparkling pet nats, natural wine, carbonically macerated wines, and so on. We collaborate with tattoo artists, digital artists, and photographers to create some of the most eccentric labels you’ve seen on a bottle. So if you’re adventurous and love trying new things, we’re the winery for you.
If you’re game, join the club and get to know our wines, the vineyards we source our fruit from, and the rad folks who bring them to you. It’s one you won’t forget.