Astro Bunny Pétillant Naturel Adelaide Hills 2015 Wine Tasting Review

Willunga is spoilt with two wine bars.

At Fall From Grace the lovely Gill and Caleigh had on tasting the Astro Bunny Pet Nat, made by Master of Wine Tim Wildman. This one is made up of McLaren Vale Grenache and Riverland White Frontignac.

A “Pet Nat” is short for Pétillant Naturel and is also known Methode Rural .

Definition: Pétillant Naturel. (origin Fr.) abbrv. pet nat. A wine that has had its primary fermentation interrupted by bottling thereby rendering it naturally (naturel) sparking (pétillant) in the bottle.

This is different from:

• Methode Champenoise or Traditional Method where the bubbles are produced by a secondary fermentation in bottle,
• Transfer method where Traditional Method sparkling wine is transferred to a tank before bottling; or;
• Charmat (tank) method where the bubbles are produced in a tank before the wine is transferred under pressure to a bottle (this is the cheapest and quickest method and used in cheap bubbles as well as Prosecco).

Pet Nat Astro Bunny in the glass @ Fall From Grace. Photo: Willunga Wino

The Astro Bunny is very fizzy and active in the bottle, spritzing out when it was opened.

Pretty lolly pink colour. 

Sweet red fruit nose.

Initially it has a sweet palate, but it becomes dry, and then has a yeasty brioche finish.

Intriguing.

Cute label! From the Astro Bunny Website

Drink immediately. Pet nat style wines can lose their sparkle pretty quickly.