Pet-Nat Sparkling

The oldest way of making sparkling wine, and currently the most fashionable. Pétillant naturel is bottled partway through its first and only fermentation, so the bubbles come from the tail end of that ferment rather than from a second one. No dosage, no filtration in most cases, a crown cap rather than a cork, and a haze of yeast sediment in the bottle.

Expect softer pressure, orchard fruit, citrus peel and something faintly cidery, and expect real variation between bottles and producers. That is the point rather than a fault. Chill thoroughly, stand upright for a day before opening, and open slowly over a glass. Wonderful with charcuterie, fried snacks, brunch and soft cheese, and worth the small amount of ceremony.