Méthode rurale - Sparkling wine traditionally made

An old, simple and natural form of sparkling wine production (rurale for rural - surprise, surprise) originating from France. Only one fermentation takes place. This is also the main difference to the traditional method known from champagne, for example.

The must that is not yet fully fermented (with sufficient residual sugar) is filled directly into bottles and (if at all possible) sealed with crown caps. Fermentation continues in the bottle and the resulting carbon dioxide binds. Dégorgement (removal of the lees) should not take place. The lees remain in the bottle. The sparkling wine is therefore somewhat cloudy. Dosage (adding sugar and yeast to trigger even more fermentation) is not permitted. Sparkling wine produced in this way is also called Petnat. This is an abbreviation for the French words ‘petillant’ for sparkling, and ‘naturel’ for, as the reader has already guessed, natural.

In France, depending on where you are, this production method is known by other names: Méthode ‘ancestrale’ for ancient, Méthode ‘artisanale’ for artisanal or Méthode ‘gaillacoise’. This refers to one of the oldest French wine-growing regions, namely Gaillac.