If you’re not obsessed with Pét-Nats yet, then you haven’t tried them. We’re obsessed and have been for years now and it seems as though the tastebuds of the everyday wine drinker has caught up.

So let’s start from the beginning: What is a Pét-Nat?

The term has its origins in French, a shortening of the phrase “pétillant naturel” which translates to “naturally bubbly.” Need we say more?

The process has a murky past, but is known to predate the “méthode Champenoise,” a process invented by Dom Pérignon centuries ago. This process ripped off what had been done in other parts of France for decades, notably in Limoux, and popularized it. Before Champagne was Champagne, winemakers were using the “méthode ancestral” to produce fun, fizzy wines.