Maybe decade ago, we began hearing a quiet, fizzy buzz about a sparkling wine style born of an ancient production method. You may have heard of it referred to by a few names — pét-nat, méthode ancestrale, Col Fondo, and Sui Lieviti, to list a few. That quiet buzz has become more of a rumble as the popularity of these wines has rocketed over the last few years. These “new” sparkling darlings have captured the fascination of both the sommelier set and the younger generation wine drinker looking for something unique and personal—products, foods, and wines that feel natural, artisanal, hands-off, somehow “new.” 

Welcome to retro bubbly. Welcome to the world of “ancestral method” sparkling wine, and Vino Col Fondo – sparkling wine bottled with the lees.

What’s old is new again.

As the word ‘ancestral’ indicates, the bubbles in these wines are purposely produced the way they were accidentally produced a few hundred years ago, before the discovery and introduction of Méthode Champenoise.

In this article I wrote for VeroVino, I explore the fascination for sparklers produced in this ancient, natural method—especially its “Col Fondo” version in Italy—how they are made, how they compare to those produced in the Charmat or Traditional methods, and the unique sensorial characterstics and flavors that make them the darling of sommeliers.

Click the below link to go directly to my article for Vero Vino.

https://www.verovinogusto.com/vero-blog/what-is-col-fondo-pet-nat-ancestral-method-sparkling-wine

VeroVino – Foraging natural wines and foods from undiscovered small producers around the world

Have you tried a Vino Col Fondo? A pét-nat?

Let us know how you liked them and your favorite finds in Comments below. We’d love to hear!

~ Mary Beth

Want to learn more about a different sparkling wine from Italy? My article for VeroVino on Prosecco and its beautiful heartland—Valdobbiadene—explores what makes Prosecco unique from Champagne, and how this land and this climate in the beautiful green rolling foothills of northern Italy make the highest quality versions. https://crushcoursewine.com/beyond-bubbles-prosecco-and-the-land-of-valdobiaddene/