The New Old Sparkling Wine: Petillant Naturel

Red Tail Ridge vineyards overlooking Seneca Lake. The winery is sustainably farmed and was New York’s first LEED Gold Certified winery.

This article was published in The Wedge Newspaper, February-March 2019 issue.

There is a genre of “natural” wines. Not only are the farms (vineyards and wineries) usually organic, sustainable, or biodynamic, but the methods in which their wines are produced are traditional with little intervention by the winemaker.

 While this movement is becoming trendy, the “natural wine movement” began in France about 40 years ago as a protest of sorts to modern, mass-produced, industrialized wines with homogenized flavors. Old World winemakers thought that grapes were being manipulated for the popular palate rather than allowing the grape’s true character to develop in the barrel and in the bottle. Of course, the techniques and methods of natural wine weren’t new 40 years ago, either, having been used and finessed over centuries of winemaking prior to that.

If a bottle is labeled “unfiltered,” “unfined,” “natural,” or “minimal intervention,” it is probably considered a natural wine. There is no formal designation or certification as there is with organic or biodynamic products, or as with the farm produce designation “Certified Naturally Grown.” The general criteria followed by wine organizations and producers include: grapes are hand-picked from low-yield vineyards; there are no additives---no sugar, no cultured yeasts, no artificial flavors or colors; minimal or no filtration; no added sulfites (or only a minute amount) as a preservative. 

Because of the hands-off techniques involved, the wines often look different from the other wines on the shelf. They may be cloudy and have sediment resting at the bottom. In tasting, natural wines often have yeasty, earthy or funky flavors because of the natural elements like sediment still present in the bottle.

One type of natural wine is petillant naturel, or “pet nat.” These are interesting sparkling wines produced in the methode ancestrale which pre-dates methode champenoise, the most common technique for making sparkling wine. In methode champenoise additional yeast and sugar are added to wine in the bottle for a second fermentation that produces bubbles (carbon dioxide.) Pet nat wines are bottled before the first fermentation is complete, and no additional yeast or sugar is added. The CO2 by-product remains in the bottle and creates bubbles which also vary in intensity, but are softer on the palate than methode Champenoise bubbles. Pet nats are generally low-alcohol, easy to drink, and can be red, white, or rose.

Pet nats are intriguing because each bottle can develop in its own way, even those bottled at the same time. It is not unusual for flavors, bubbles, and texture to vary with factors like temperature, amount of yeast, and aging. Winemakers generally like the challenge of bringing out grape characteristics with minimal intervention, leaving the primary juice and indigenous yeast to make its own magic.

 We recently visited the Finger Lakes to taste some of these original effervescent wines. 

Red Tail Ridge Winery (www.redtailridgewinery.com) on Seneca Lake has produced seven vintages of Petillant Naturel Riesling. A natural wine making process is a logical option for New York’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certified winery. Red Tail Ridge farms sustainably, controls pests humanely, and keeps production low to focus on quality.

For winery co-owner and winemaker Nancy Irelan, a self-proclaimed “bubbles fanatic,” pet nat wine is an “approachable sparkling wine with a shorter time in production and a friendly price point” encouraging and allowing people to drink sparkling wine more often than special occasions.

 Their 2017 Peillant Naturel Riesling was on the tasting bar. With a little cloudiness and visible sediment, it’s light and refreshing. It’s citrusy, with grapefruit and lemon flavors, then a strawberry finish. Also available is Red Tail Ridge’s 2018 Pinot Noir Rose Petillant Naturel.

Natural wines are part of Barry Family Cellars’ (www.barryfamilywines.com) philosophy and style. Located in Burdett a few miles from the east shore of Seneca Lake, they purchase grapes locally and produce small batches with “minimal intervention” to “showcase individual vineyards.” Many of their wines are also unfined and unfiltered. Winemaker Ian Barry says the traditional roots of methode ancestrale appeals to him. We tasted four that he has produced.

The first was Fossil & Till Riesling 2017 Petillant Naturel, a limited edition, special project for Barry. Light and refreshing, there was a slight herbal quality with the citrusy flavors. The second wine was their latest pet nat, the 2018 Cayuga “Pet Gnat” Petillant Naturel. This was an opportunity to taste a very young wine that is still fermenting. Cayuga is a white hybrid created at Cornell University, and these grapes in particular were certified organic. At this stage, as expected, it was a bit heavier with yeasty flavors. It will be interesting to see what flavors emerge as this continues aging.

We tried the Pinot Noir Rose “Pet Gnat” 2017 Petillant Naturel after that. This was a bit richer with cranberry flavors, and I tasted a floral note of roses. The last wine was the Leon Millot 2018 “Pet Gnat” Petillant Naturel. The red grape is a French hybrid, and I picked up strawberry flavors, though as it develops, flavors could become more cherry and spice.

Rustic pet nats offer winemakers like Barry the opportunity to hone the most ancient skills using grapes and time and to give modern palates a change from the mainstream, a challenging but satisfying process.

“It was something new and fun to try,” Barry says. “I thought it would be fun to produce a history lesson in a bottle.”  

Pairing Wine with Fall Flavors

This article was published in The WEDGE Newspaper, October/November 2017. 

Fall conjures up shorter days, cooler temps, and comfort food. Flavors transition from light and fresh salads, chicken, and berries to savory spices, baked pies, and buttery squashes. Remarkably, some of the summer’s favorite wines transition well into this season. Here are some popular tastes of fall and the wines that will give them more dimension.

Apples are synonymous with autumn and range from crisp and tart to sweet and juicy. Enter Chardonnay, a wine that has been vilified because of its popularity two decades ago. It’s incredibly versatile, though, and has its own range of flavors from tropical and citrus to buttery. Chardonnay is a French grape that produces white Burgundy and Champagne—two very different wines. People who don’t like the traditional oak and butter style of Burgundy have choices in varying degrees.

Naked, or unoaked, Chardonnay can be as crisp as fresh apples and often have a hint of apple flavor. Try unoaked from California, Oregon, or Washington for more of the apple coming through. Those from Australia and Chile may have more of the pineapple, citrus, and peach flavors.

Serving baked apples with cinnamon? Butternut squash with apples and maple syrup? Or apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream? A buttery Chardonnay with oak would be an excellent match, for instance Bread and Butter, Kendall Jackson, and Franciscan from California. Lightly-oaked Chards are also available from Chateau Ste. Michelle, Sonoma-Cutrer, and Rutherford Ranch.

Chardonnay sparkling wines, i.e. Champagne and Blanc de Blancs, will be drier and pair well with many apple dishes, as well as cheeses.

When it comes to squash, there is a range of wine choices, depending on the squash and how it’s served. A buttery Chardonnay would work with butternut squash, but, because of its ginger, floral, and herbal qualities, Gewurztraminer may be what you’re seeking.

This white wine originated in Germany, but more is grown in France and the United States, including in New York state, than in Germany now.  The nose generally has a distinctive rose-but-sweeter aroma, or lychee fruit. They may have a sweeter taste, but are low in acid and sugar, with flavors or aromas of red grapefruit, honey, pineapple, apricot, and spices. A dry or off-dry Gewurztraminer can enhance zucchini with herbs or balance spaghetti squash with chunky marinara sauce.

Earthy mushrooms in soups and stews and Thanksgiving dressings are complemented by the slight earthiness and cherry or tobacco notes of a Pinot Noir. Generally medium-bodied, Pinot Noir is drinkable all year, but is a nice transition from light, summery wines to the heavier Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels of winter.  The wine also pairs well with foods like roast pork, wild rice with mushrooms, and dishes with truffles. 

France is the leading producer of Pinot Noir, most notably in the Burgundy region, the home of some of the most expensive wines in the world. The French style has more of the earthy aromas, floral qualities, and cherries considered the classic red Burgundy. In the United States, California and Oregon are the major Pinot Noir producers, though New York wineries are also working with this tricky varietal. Oregon Pinots are closer to the French style in part because of the cooler climate, typically with flavors of cherries, truffles, and tobacco, spice or leather. California Pinots are more fruit forward with flavors of cherries, raspberries, spice, and caramel.

One of fall’s most popular flavors of late is pumpkin spice. This flavor is made up of several other flavors combined: usually pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. As it happens, all of the wines noted above would pair with pumpkin spice, depending on the dish. If the food is prevalent with pumpkin, a buttery Chardonnay would be a good option. If ginger is strong, an oaked Chardonnay or a Gewurztraminer may work well. Gewurztraminer, Champagne, or Pinot Noir will pair nicely with dishes where cinnamon or allspice come through.

If planning a special dinner, do a trial run with a couple bottles of wine to see which works better with the dish. If unsure, the wine shop should have some suggestions based on the types of wine that you normally drink.  

Article and all photos by Glynis Valenti

Earth Day: How to Read Eco-Wine Labels (It's not just about "organic")

(This article was published in the April/May issue of The WEDGE Newspaper. Check out the rest of the paper online by clicking here)

Many consumers are settling into healthier everyday food choices. Grocery stores and farmers markets have obliged this trend by carrying organic products. Likewise, more wine shops are offering organic options. Knowing the terminology and some background is helpful when reading the labels.

Organic is actually a stringent farming system that reduces or eliminates chemicals and man-made additives. The certification process is time consuming and expensive for farmers, so it takes real dedication and commitment to ecology and health.

While many European producers have been farming organically for centuries, wineries in the United States have taken greater interest in these traditional methods during the last three decades. To be labeled organic, the grapes must be organically grown and processed at a certified organic winery, and no sulfites may be added as preservatives. Wine may still contain naturally produced sulfites as a by-product of fermentation. Because of reduced sulfites, however, these wines do not store as well and should be drunk within a couple of days of opening.

Phrases and terms on labels include:

• 100% Organic: Everything touching the wine from the seeds to the final bottling must be organic.
• Made with Organic Grapes: A limited amount of sulfur dioxide (sulfites) may be added to certified organic grapes processed at a certified organic winery.
• EU Organic: Similar to the USDA Certified Organic designation, but for European organically grown grapes, only organic additives allowed, non-GMO, and a slightly higher sulfite allowance than the US.
• Sulfites: Occur naturally during fermentation and act as a preservative in the bottle.  A small percentage of people are allergic, but a greater number are “sensitive” and experience headaches or stuffiness while breathing when exposed to them.

Though many wineries today use organic farming practices and processes, most opt not to go through the certification process. Finger Lakes winery Four Chimney Winery was the first certified organic winery in North America, established in 1980. Here are a few other eco-conscious wine producers to try from the Finger Lakes and Niagara regions: Silver Thread (organic;) Red Tail Ridge Winery (sustainable, first certified LEED gold winery;) Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard (sustainable, no herbicides or chemical fertilizers;) Arrowhead Springs Vineyards (sustainable.)

Nelson Habecker, of East Avenue Liquor, has a selection predominantly from a California distributor that sells exclusively organics. What should customers know about organic wines?

“Organic wines contain no detectable sulfites,” says Habecker. “Some people are sensitive to sulfites, so an organic wine is usually a more pleasant selection for them.”

These terms may also appear on wine labels, and various regions throughout the world have their own “stamps” verifying sustainability and practices.

• Salmon Safe: A certification indicating a vineyard or winery that plants trees along streams, plants cover crops to control run-off and uses natural pest and weed control in order to protect or restore salmon habitats. This designation is found particularly on wine labels from Pacific Northwest wineries.  
• Biodynamic: Based on the work of Austrian scientist, philosopher and mystic Rudolf Steiner, this is an entirely holistic approach to agriculture. The farm is treated as its own eco-system where everything is internal and nurtures the whole, striving for balance. For example, compost is mixed in the soil, enhancing the crops, which feed the animals that create more manure, etc. In addition, crops are planted and fertilized in accordance with seasons and moon phases, working with the earth’s natural rhythms. Look for the “Demeter” insignia on biodynamic products.
• Sustainable: Eco-conscious farming where the intent and practice moves toward the organic, but with the freedom to use chemicals or conventional procedures if needed. It is generally unregulated, but there are certification programs that may appear on labels. These include SIP (Sustainable in Practice;) Certified California Sustainable; Environmental Management System; LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology.)

A closer look at wine labels can enhance a healthy lifestyle. Check with local wine merchants for their selections and recommendations.

Article and all photos by Glynis Valenti

Feature Article: Paso Robles

Above: Paso Robles actually experiences two types of climates. One is dictated by the hot, dry weather of the high California desert. The other is more “Mediterranean,” influenced by the Pacific Ocean 25 miles to the west.  In general, the area only gets about 14 inches of precipitation annually.

Before Nicholas Longworth planted the vines along the Ohio River that would make Ohio the top wine producer during the nation’s first century, Franciscan monks were planting grape vines in an area of California called El Paso de Robles (The Pass of the Oaks.) Their first vineyards in the late 1700s also predated Napa Valley’s to the north, now world-class wine country. 

For some reason Paso got a slow start in the wine industry, not cultivating on a commercial scale until 1882, and it was Andrew York, from Indiana, who got the ball rolling then by turning his apple orchards into vineyards. This original commercial winery is now York Mountain Winery. By this time Ohio’s wine business had flourished and died after the Civil War took over the labor force, disease destroyed much of the wine crop and murmurs of temperance grew louder. Some of Napa’s well-known names had established successful vineyards by the end of the 1870s: Krug, Schramsberg, Beringer and Inglenook. It may be that Paso’s enterprises focused on other assets—like sulphur springs.

The Salinan Indians inhabited the Paso region for thousands of years and called it “The Springs.” The area was part of the Mexican land grant called Rancho Paso de Robles, which included the Camino Real. The aforementioned Franciscan monks had also built baths utilizing the springs. The land, more than 25,000 acres, was purchased in 1857 by Daniel and James Blackburn for $8,000, and they developed the springs further as a rest stop for travelers.

The first hotel featuring a bath house with hot springs was constructed in 1864, and people from neighboring states, the Pacific Northwest and the south came to Paso for “the waters.” Drury James, the third partner with the Blackburns, was outlaw Jesse James’ uncle. Jesse James stayed with his uncle for a time and used a local cave as a hideout when the law came looking for him. That cave is located on what is now Peachy Canyon Winery. 

Twenty-two years after the original hotel was built, Paso Robles became a new stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Leaders platted an actual town and held a land auction. A new hotel with a golf course and other amenities catered to wealthier visitors seeking hot springs treatments. In 1914 a renowned pianist, Ignace Paderewski, received springs treatments for arthritis at the hotel and was able to resume his concerts. More notable visitors followed over the next three decades: President Theodore Roosevelt, members of the Hearst family, actors (Clark Gable, Douglas Fairbanks and Bob Hope among others) and sports teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates.

At the beginning of the 20th century, more families settled in the area and planted grapes, primarily Zinfandel and Petit Syrah, of which some vines are still producing today. One of those settlers was Paderewski the pianist/composer, whose award-winning wines help establish the area’s credibility and reputation. Today there are more than 250 wineries in the 614,000 acres of the Paso Robles AVA (American Viticultural Area) growing 25 varieties of grapes. This area is known mainly for its reds, with 39 percent of the grapes Cabernet Sauvignon; 14 percent Merlot; 9 percent Syrah; 8 percent Zinfandel; 16 percent are Petit Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Petit Verdot and other reds. Paso Robles was named Wine Enthusiast magazine’s “Wine Region of the Year” for 2013. 

Three wineries this writer visited have different histories and environments, but all are focused on producing quality wines.

Sextant Wines farms 486 acres of vines in the Paso Robles (114 acres,) Edna Valley and San Lucas AVAs in California. Owners Craig and Nancy Stoller established Sextant in 2004. Stoller’s family owns a nursery that specializes in importing and growing European grape vines to supply to growers here. He decided to try harvesting and making use of the grapes that grew on the stock vines, which led to developing his own winery, now producing 30,000 cases per year.

The Sextant label produces mostly reds but also make Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc and Albarino. The red selection includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, GSM (a Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre) and a Marselan (a French grape of Cabernet Sauvignon crossed with Grenache.) Their wines receive regular praise from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator.

The “stand-out” wines from the tasting included the 2012 Marselan, which was earthy and reminded this writer of a red Burgundy-style wine; the 2010 Caverio GSM, which was Grenache-based, spicy and was soft enough to be food-friendly; the 2010 Passage GSM, with rich, complex flavors ranging from blackberry to peppery spice.  

Above: DAOU Vineyards produces hand-crafted, premium wines in classic French style. 

DAOU Vineyards is the dream of two brothers, Daniel and Georges, who were raised in France, went to college in California and developed one of the top five IPOs in the United States. When they sold their tech company, they purchased 100 acres at an elevation of 2,200 feet in Paso Robles to pursue their passion for fine wines. The production is smaller and very hands-on. The brothers select specific clones rare in California and plant them closer together but prune them to yield a smaller number of clusters per vine. All grapes are hand-picked and sorted, creating about one-half a regular yield, but highest quality fruit. In addition, the farm is certified “Sustainable in Practice,” meaning that while they are not entirely organic, the farming methods and processes are environmentally friendly and efficient. 

DAOU does not press the grapes, but macerates them with the skins for up to three weeks in order to break down tannins and allow the structure and flavors to develop. This “free run” process is highly unusual, with the goal being to create classic, elegant wines that can be cellared and developed over many years.

Two of the wines on the tasting menu that day included a 2012 DAOU Pinot Noir (100 percent free run,) which was fuller-bodied than other Pinots with heavier cherry and wood flavors; and the 2011 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (100 percent free run,) which was a classic Cab with dark fruits and currants and a touch of spicy wood.

Above: Many of the 250 wineries in the Paso Robles AVA began as family farms and have preferred to stay hands-on in crafting and perfecting boutique, lower-production wines.  

Proulx Wines is housed on family-owned Willow Creek Farm that has been producing grapes for 60 years. Third-generation grower Genoa Riley and husband Kevin Riley began crushing the farm’s grapes for themselves in 2004 and the 2011 Red Label Zinfandel recently made #38 on the “Wine Enthusiast” Top 100 Wine List. The name Proulx (pronounced “proo”) is Kevin Riley’s maternal grandmother’s name.

Because of the drought affecting the region for several years, Proulx practices dry farming, capturing and making optimum use of the little precipitation available. This has affected their yield somewhat, especially the Cabernet Sauvignon, and this year the Zinfandel. But the dry heat makes the fruit that is harvested concentrated and potent.

Their tasting menu includes a couple of very nice roses. The 2013 Grenache Rose White Label is clean and fresh, and the 2013 Resistance Rose also has a fresh, hint-of-strawberry-and-spice taste and is not as sweet. Both are food friendly. The other notable tasting wine was the 2012 Red Label Zinfandel, a true, hearty Zin with plum and woody spice. 

All three wineries ship to Ohio—not every winery does—but there are a few Paso wines available locally. Some of the mainstream brands include Peachy Canyon, Paso Creek and Wild Horse. This writer picked up Vinum Cellars Red Dirt Red GSM (Casa di Vino in Wheeling) and Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red (Kroger’s St. Clairsville) and tasted the Tenacious Red. It’s a rich and hearty Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blend, not dry, with tastes of blackberries and a hint of tobacco. The Syrah provides the dark purple color and just a slight touch of heat, and it would pair well with a beef or venison stew, grilled ribs or pork barbeque.