Structure

Bodylight
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishmedium
Oakoak aged

Drinking window

Best 0 to 3 years from vintage.
vintage0 yrs3 yrs8 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.

In the glass

Light-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryMedium finish

Aroma: green apple, lemon zest, yeast lees, wild herb

Palate: citrus, yeasty drive, rustic bubbles, saline finish

Aphros' ancestral-method Loureiro Pet-Nat under the Phaunus label, Demeter-certified. Cloudy, yeasty, low-intervention; built for thirst not contemplation.

What it pairs with

  • Oysters
    Saline pet-nat with high-acid drive and yeasty depth is a textbook oyster match; rustic bubbles add aromatic depth.
  • Salt-cured anchovy on toast
    Yeast lees and citrus zest meet anchovy umami; high acidity refreshes the palate between bites.
  • Bolinhos de bacalhau Find bolinhos de bacalhau on TableJourney →
    The wine's rustic bubbles and lemon zest cut salt-cod fritter oils and refresh the fried texture.
  • Aperitif with cured pork
    Wild-herb register and yeasty bubbles partner presunto without overpowering the salt-and-fat balance.

History

Phaunus is the Aphros low-intervention sister label, named for the Roman god of nature. The Pet Nat captures Loureiro's natural pre-bottling fermentation in ancestral-method bubbles; bottled as IGT Minho because the DOC requires fully-completed fermentation.

  1. 2014: Phaunus Pet Nat launched as Aphros' ancestral-method Loureiro under the natural-wine sister label

Facts

Producer
Aphros Wine (Phaunus label) · visiting guide
Grapes
Loureiro (100%)
Classification
IGT Minho
Oak
Native-yeast ancestral-method; no dosage; bottled before primary fermentation completes
ABV
11.0%
Price
EUR 18 to 26 at retail
Drinking window
0-3 from vintage
First vintage
2014
Biodynamic
Demeter Certified
Organic
ORGANIC CERTIFIED
Vegan
Yes (no animal-derived fining)

Frequently asked about Phaunus Pet Nat

What does Phaunus Pet Nat taste like?

Green apple, lemon zest, yeast lees and wild herb on the nose; citrus, yeasty drive, rustic bubbles and a saline finish on the palate. Light-bodied with high acidity and a medium close.

What is ancestral-method sparkling wine?

Ancestral-method (or methode ancestrale) wines are bottled before primary fermentation completes, so the remaining sugar refermenters in bottle and creates natural carbonation. Cloudier and yeastier than traditional-method bubbles.

Why is Phaunus Pet Nat bottled as IGT Minho rather than DOC?

The DOC Vinho Verde rules require fully-completed protected fermentation. Ancestral-method bottling captures fermentation in progress and falls outside DOC, so the wine is bottled as IGT Minho.

What food pairs with Phaunus Pet Nat?

Oysters, salt-cured anchovy on toast, salt-cod fritters and presunto aperitif boards. The yeasty saline drive is built for raw shellfish and Minho aperitivo.

Tags

biodynamic biodynamic certified drink young dry high acid light body loureiro mood easygoing mood funky mood refreshing occasion aperitivo occasion picnic occasion summer old world organic pairs with aperitif pairs with charcuterie pairs with fried food pairs with oysters pairs with shellfish price trade up sparkling ancestral vegan

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