2022 Decibel Petillant Naturel Hawke's Bay

Winemaker Notes: Daniel's first official sparkling wine is the 2022 Pétillant Naturel aka Pet Nat. In classic Decibel style, we are pushing the boundaries a little to bring you this delightfully refreshing fizzy number from BioGro certified organic Chardonnay. The delicate fizz is produced through an ancient method by bottling partially-fermented wine and allowing the yeast to finish their job in the bottle which traps in the natural bubbles. The spent yeast hulls, aka "lees", remain in the bottle so the wine has a natural haze to it. With refrigeration, the lees will settle to the bottom. Perfect for enjoying poolside on a sunny afternoon, or as a vinous alternative for the hazy or sour beer lover.

Made from BioGro certified organic Chardonnay grown in Maraekakaho and picked early to retain the natural acidity and fresh flavours that complement the pét-nat style. The site is inland, at a slightly higher altitude, and influenced by the nearby Ngaruroro River; it enjoys cool nights and warm days which make it ideal for growing superb grapes.Sparkling wine styles are defined by the way they get their fizz. Pétillant-Naturel, aka pét-nat, is the least interventionist way to sparkle a wine but comes with a lotta risk. As a wine ferments, yeast consume the grape sugar to produce both alcohol and carbon dioxide (aka bubbles!) To make our pét-nat, we started our organic Chardonnay fermentation in stainless steel tanks and when the wine was almost dry, we bottled it. Doing this means the yeast finished their good work in the bottle and we trapped the resultant bubbles inside!