Márcio Lopes 'Pequenos Rebentos' Ancestral Loureiro Pet'Nat

Region: Vinho Verde < Portugal
Grapes: Loureiro 
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Certified biodynamic farming, granitic soils; harvested in small boxes, pressed and fermented in steel tanks, then rest on lees in tank for 5 mos; bottled under crown cap before finishing fermentation, unfiltered/un-disgorged wth no added So2; fermentation finishes in bottle; 12% ABV; 450 cases
Winemaker: Márcio Lopes

Márcio Lopes started as an engineer, but cut his winemaking teeth working for two years with Vinho Verde master Anselmo Mendes, then traveled to Australia where he made wine in cool climate Tasmania. He returned to his native Portugal in 2010 to start his own project in Vinho Verde, where he works his own 5 hecare estate organically, and buys fruit from neighbors also farming without herbicides.  Everything in the cellar is hands off, and focused on showing the region's cool Atlantic climate and terroir.

Like this juicy, cloudy pet'nat, a bright, perky and textural sparkler with aromatic melon and grapefruit and racy acidity.  Like if you made a Jello shot of canteloupe and grapefuit juice with fizzy water.  Despite this odd and funky-sounding descriptor, it's a clean, refreshing (and affordable!) pet'nat for all occasion drinking.