It’s been a busy spring thus far, so I was thrilled to spend some time on the water—my happy place. For a day of paddle boarding in Biscayne Bay, I brought Lunaria Pét-nat Ramoro Pinot Grigio Spumante Biodinamico Brut Nature 2020 for the ride.
About the Winery
Founded in 1964 by Camillo Zulli and six other producers, the Cantina Orsogna is now an expansive co-op winery made up of over 600 small growers. It is located in Abruzzo on the slopes of the mountainous Majella National Park about nine miles from the Adriatic Sea. It is run on organic and biodynamic principals with nearly all of the growers being certified organic and many are certified biodynamic. The Lunaria line of wines is reserved especially for the biodynamic grapes and is much smaller production.
When you look at the bottle, you notice a unique closure—a rope tied around the neck of the bottle based on the old school method traditional to the region. And just when you thought they couldn’t be any more in tune with their community, they even work with a local non-profit to tie the ropes which supports employment for those with special needs.
About the Pét-nat Method
Pét-nat (aka pétillant naturel) is made with what is known as the “ancestral” method, which is the oldest version of sparkling wine making with origins in France. This method involves bottling before first fermentation has finished, allowing the process to complete in bottle (versus the Champagne method, which commence second fermentation in bottle after the first has completed).
At first glance, this Lunaria Pét-nat looked like fizzy grapefruit juice (and I know, my mother was hardcore on that grapefruit diet way back when). It smelled surprisingly fresh. Given the cloudiness and sediment, I thought the nose would be funkier. The nose served up strawberries, citrus rind, and ripe apple. It was dry with medium+ acidity. I got notes of grapefruit, apple, and pear. It was pretty clean considering all the funkiness I’m sure it could’ve been. I also know it was good because Sean is picky about natural wine and he was drinking it like apple juice. It certainly paired well with a day out in the bay. I got it at Lucio’s Wine Shop for $25.
