We’ve got three glorious new Pet Nats set for release this May. All wild fermented, and all with no additions, so all pet nats in the truest sense.
Pet Nat has always been a special wine for us at Westwell. The very first one we made here was an Ortega from the 2017 harvest. I disgorged every bottle myself, by hand (in the end each one three times). It was a great wine, exciting and full or the tropical ripe fruit that we get from Ortega. Making it was a chaotic process, and was the reason we gave it the name “Petulant Nature”. It was also the first wine we released which was made entirely by us.
Pet Nat, or Pétillant Naturel, is made by bottling the wine before fermentation has finished. The remaining sugars continue to ferment in bottle, creating a natural fizz. There’s no second fermentation, no dosage and no long ageing. Released before all of our other wines, pet nat is always a great snapshot of the vintage and a true taste of our bit of Kent.
The 2025 Pet Nat Trio
Petulant Nature Pink
This is a glorious, almost neon raspberry-coloured fizzer made from Ortega with a small amount of Regent. It smells like Vimto, tastes like penny sweets and vine leaves, and a touch of residual sugar which makes it ridiculously easy to drink.
Naturally Petulant (Birling)
This is the first fruit we harvested from our new planting site at Birling Estate, the culmination of years of planning, planting and waiting. Rose gold in the glass, with a nose of raspberries and apple crumble. Best enjoyed with a buttery doorstep sandwich of your choosing.
Petulant Nature Chardonnay
Our first ever Chardonnay Pet Nat. The juice was left open briefly before fermentation to pick up a touch of oxidation, which gives it a slightly savoury, saline edge. Green apple and salty pie crust on the nose, lemon tart on the palate.
Why We Love Pet Nat
Pet nat is always the first wine out of the winery each year. It’s immediate, fun and it tastes great. It really is a bit of a pain to make though - timing is everything - if you bottle too early and too much pressure builds in the bottle, there’s the potential of explosive results. Bottle too late and you lose the bubbles. There’s always an element of risk, which is part of the appeal. We’re very proud of this year’s three. They’re all very different, but they’re all our favourites. We hope you’ll enjoy them too.
