# Morphos White Pét-Nat (2024)

- **Producer:** Oyster River Winegrowers
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Seyval Blanc, Cayuga
- **Region:** New York, United States
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 10.0%
- **Average price:** €23
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now
- **Serving temperature:** 6–8 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, blossom, lemon, lime, bread, toast

## About this wine

Oyster River Winegrowers is a small farm winery based in Warren, Midcoast Maine, founded by winemaker Brian Smith. Approaching his craft as a helper to nature rather than an intervener, Smith revives pre-industrial winemaking techniques. The farm historically relied on draft horse power in its vineyards to cultivate a close connection to the land. Morphos White is widely regarded as one of the pioneering, classic American pét-nats, capturing the raw, authentic personality of French-American hybrid grapes.

## Interesting facts

- Morphos is widely considered one of the classic pioneering American pét-nats.
- Oyster River Winegrowers historically worked their Maine vineyards using draft horses.
- Bottled during active fermentation under crown cap to capture natural effervescence.

## Food pairing

The lively, high acidity and crisp natural carbonation effortlessly slice through rich fats, deep-fried coatings, and creamy cheeses, repeatedly cleansing the palate.

## Wine making process

Made using the ancestral method (pétillant naturel), the wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation driven entirely by ambient wild yeasts in unheated cellar conditions. Seyval Blanc and Cayuga grapes from cool-climate vineyards are fermented slowly and bottled near the end of primary fermentation under crown cap to trap natural carbon dioxide. The finished wine is unfiltered, unfined, non-disgorged, and bottled without dosage or added sulfur dioxide, resting on its active lees.