Oniric Pet Nat

Oníric means dreamlike, and it comes from Entre Vinyes, a low-intervention project working in the Penedès, inland from Barcelona. This is pét-nat: bottled before the first fermentation has finished, so the fizz is a by-product of the wine still working rather than a second fermentation added afterwards. Nothing dosed, nothing disgorged.

It pours pale, with a soft fine bead and a slight haze — that is the style, not a flaw. Green apple and citrus peel on the nose, with a bready, faintly savoury note underneath from the lees it was bottled on. The palate is dry and light on its feet, brisk with acidity, and the finish is chalky and runs longer than the price would suggest.

Drink it young. Pét-nat is not a wine to lay down, and this one is at its best in the first year or two while the fruit is still bright.

Under £18 for something this alive is a good deal. Have it cold, in company, without much ceremony.

How to Serve

8 to 10°C, in a wine glass. Open it slowly and over the sink, because pét-nat can be lively. Stand the bottle up in the fridge beforehand if you would rather leave the sediment behind.

Where to Drink It

Planque in Haggerston. Dandy on Maltby Street, for the natural list. Noble Rot, if you want something to eat alongside it.

Food Pairings

Manchego and jamón. Or grilled sardines, where the acidity and the salt work each other out.