Within the world of wine, I have to stay on top of new wineries that appear in various regions to present them to my clients. We live in an era where new wineries are constantly popping up all over the place, and it is my job to find out about these new wineries and then keep my clients informed.
I cannot know about all the wineries worldwide, but some people believe that since I am knowledgeable about wine, I must know about specific wines a client enjoys.
Part of my job is to source interesting wines that I can introduce to you. Often, these wines include local grapes from their region, whether it is Mallorca, the Canary Islands or mainland Spain. And…I cannot let my guard down. Winemakers are a hardworking bunch. And, they're constantly thinking about what to do next to be original, innovative or get ahead of the competition. To a certain degree, they also need to anticipate what the next new wine trend is likely to be. So, not only do I look out for new wineries, but I must also keep an eye on new products released from the wineries I work with.
The biggest trend in the winemaking world is not necessarily the most important trend for the final consumer. The recent yearly increase in rosé wine sales is a classic example of what the consumer is dictating. But winemakers are becoming tired of making blush wine. Instead, they're now turning their attention towards bubbles. As a wine geek, I have never seen so many choices relating to sparkling wine. And Pet-Nat (short for pétillant naturel) is a good example. There are a few reasons for the popularity of Pet-Nat among winemakers.
Ancestral wine is easier to make than traditional sparkling, like Cava or Champagne. All that is required is the control of a few parameters and the execution of a few simple tests, and production can be on the market within a few years.
A new vintage can be released every year, unlike French and Spanish sparkling wines that need months or years of laborious work, including hand-turning each bottle.
There is also a reduction in the amount of materials used! Disgorgement is optional for some producers, so less cork is used, while others disgorge but cover the wine again with a bottle cap.
While it is up to the winemaker to decide on their chosen process, this method is less costly than traditional methods.
The final product is also different. Pet-Nat wines weren't created to compete with the depth and dimensions of traditional sparkling wine. Instead, they were introduced to add a fresher, fruitier, almost relaxed glass of bubbles to the table.
Because the production time and effort are considerably lower, Pet-Nat wines are more economical. Perhaps not as much as the industrially made Spanish sparkling wines, but for the same price as a good wine, you can have a very decent sparkling wine from areas that aren't usually associated with bubbles. My taste buds have been wowed by excellent Pet-Nat wines from Murcia, Cadiz and Mallorca that were made using Macabeo, Palomino and Mantonegro grapes, for instance. There is no need to drink sparkling wines made from the same three grapes all the time. Who dictates which grapes can or can't be used for sparkling wine anyway?
Because the world of Pet-Nat is currently on a roll, and I love what these carbonic wines have to offer, I have decided to include a few in the Wine Industry collection:
Albamar Ancestral:
This new Ancestral wine has been made with Albariño grapes by the great Xurxo Alba. This sparkling wine has a lot to say. It is a citrusy, intense, mineral, and dry sparkling wine. It has a hint of sweetness and a salty touch, which makes it a great fun wine to enjoy with seafood.
7103 Petit Celler Ancestral Rosat: This sparkling wine stands out because it is made with a local grape variety called Callet. The Callet grape adds a light pink hue to the wine and the gentle aromas of red fruit. The bubbles are also fine.
LMT Wines Kimera Ancestral Blanco:
Kimera Ancestral hails from Navarra. Luis Moya creates this lovely wine with white Grenache grapes. This sparkling wine has a lot of white fruit flavours and a hint of aniseed aromas. It is a delightful sparkling wine to enjoy with good friends during sundown.