Côté Cairn Ambel Rosé Pétillant Naturel Brut NV

Côté Cairn’s origins started in the Clairette de Die region of the Rhône over 30 years ago – a region famous for its unique method of creating sparkling wines that has been documented since the times of Pliny the Elder. The Gallic shepherds discovered that leaving bottles in a cool stream over the winter would then warm in the spring when they returned, and become fizzy with delicious bubbles. This twist on the methode ancestrale style became popular locally, eventually spreading to other regions across Europe. 

Owners of two farms, Vincent and Cyrille, alongside winemaker Hembise, run the Côté Cairn co-op with an aim to protect the environment and consumer health by prescribing faithfully to organic farming and biodynamic winemaking methods. Located in the Clairette de Die AOC of the Rhône Valley, their cooperative is named after the pile of stones travelers leave along a mountain path, or a cairn, to symbolize the collaborative spirit of their products and craftsmanship. They aim to make their carefully produced, organic wines just as accessible as non-organic ones price-wise – and hope to influence more companies and products to follow suit in allowing more people ease of access to organic wares.

This gorgeous Pét-Nat Rosé is 98.5% white Muscat and 1.5% Gamay (for that splash of color) all dutifully hand-picked and destemmed before undergoing fermentation in thermoregulated tanks. The wine is bottled at 12.5% ABV, allowing a second, 50-day bottle fermentation to occur without any additives. Where some Pét-Nats can swing overly funky, gritty, or even heavy, this is a refreshingly light take on the style – and one I’d happily sip on any day of the week, any time of the year. In fact, good Pét-Nat like this is one of my favorite food-pairing wines, with its light fizz and subtle acidity, going as excellently with a brunch of chicken and waffles as it does a spicy Thai meal or a Neapolitan pizza.

The wine unfolds with a magnificent nose of floral honeysuckle and acacia, followed by yellow peaches and nectarines, as well as white cherries. There’s a spiced character on the palate, akin to persimmons, that persists throughout the wine. You’ll also find a sweet tanginess that gives this wine dimension, but nowhere near overly sweet or succulent. Though it has great structure, the acid profile on here is present but not intrusive. Don’t expect a fizz bomb – the bubbles dissipate fairly quickly because of the lower amount of pressure in the bottle, but it still has that desirable tingly sensation that you’ll want to devour. For an under $20 bottle of artisanally crafted Pét-Nat, you can’t ask for a better bargain! Grab a few for the next time you host, or for a fun food-pairing dinner!