2017 Johan Vineyards Pétillant-Naturel Melon de Bourgogne

Region: Willamette Valley < Oregon

Grapes: Melon de Bourgogne

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Demeter certified biodynamic farming, soils are marine sedimentary uplift with alluvial deposits from the Missoula floods; grapes were destemmed and crushed, then left for 24 hours of skin contact before pressing. After pressing, the juice was fermented in barrel before it was bottled at the tail end of its primary fermentation on November 1, 2017; no added SO2; 36 cases; 11% ABV

Winemaker: Dan Rinke

We love our Pétillant Naturel (Pet'nat) here at Rock Juice! A quick refresher: Pet'nat is the OG method of producing sparkling wine, also called methode ancestrale, where the carbonation occurs from bottling the wine during the primary, alcoholic fermentation – capturing the carbon dioxide that is naturally released. This one from Demeter certified Biodynamic® Johan Vineyards is from their estate Melon grapes, a Loire variety they grafted into the vineyard in 2011. They've been Biodynamic since 2007 – BioD disciple + winemaker Dan Rinke started the conversion process his first day on the job. They ended up with some leftover Melon grapes, which they were growing for Scott Frank of Bow + Arrow (another Rock Juice favorite), so they tested it still and bubby. The bubbly won. Unlike some cloudy, yeasty Pet'nats, this one is disgorged, so it's super clean. Pure, elegant, lightly fizzy bubbles that tastes of fresh pear, flowers and rainbows. Pet'nat for everybody, not just the adventurous! And only 36 cases made.