Carboniste "Pét-Nat Pinot Grigio" San Benito County, California 2022

FROM CARBONISTE:

THE WINE: You'll notice a light cloudiness to the wine. We've decided not to disgorge our pét nat this vintage. Not only is this a typical approach to the style, but we just loved the texture that contributes to the overall experience in drinking this wine. This wine is a continuation of our experiement in pre-traditional sparkling winemaking. Not modern or “traditional”, Pét Nat (pétillant naturel) wines are often called “ancestral”. Perhaps a happy accident, wine that is bottled before the completion of fermentation will continue to ferment in bottle, trapping the gas that makes the wine sparkle. This was the root of the traditional method used in Champagne. Science and industry has since led to advances that standardized the process, allowing for more consistent traditional and modern products. This wine undergoes minimal influence from the winemaker. The grapes are pressed, and the juice is allowed to ferment until a sufficient level of sugar remains. It is then bottled and allowed to rest for 7 months.

THE PRODUCER: After meeting at UC Davis, Dan and Jacqueline Person worked around the world, then around California. These experiences informed their perspectives on winemaking. Dan worked for Schramsberg Vineyards for 3 years, making traditional sparkling wines from California grapes. Based on that experience, Dan decided there was a need for a new interpretation of California sparkling wine. Jacqueline was concurrently making still wines from a variety of terroirs across the Golden State, terroirs that have inspired the vineyard selections for CARBONISTE.