Rodica was the first natural wine I ever tried. I tried it during a Spring Wine & Cheese* class at France 44 in 2023, just after I started working here, when I was first discovering wine. It kind of reminded me of my favorite beers, in the best way: it’s bubbly, fruity, funky, unexpected. Like an orange wine meets a pét-nat meets a classic sparkling wine. I loved it and took home a bottle later that week.
But let me paint you a picture, a cautionary tale, really, of what happened next. The next week, I grabbed a bottle of Rodica Pét Nat to bring to a concert at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. After walking three blocks from my parking spot with a somewhat chilled bottle in my bag, I opened it at my seat … and it exploded out of the bottle, all over absolutely everything, including the group sitting in front of me (if you’re reading this, truly sorry.) Turns out, you have to really chill your pét-nat. It’s naturally fermented in the bottle, which means there’s a lot of power behind those bubbles. Keeps you on your toes, this one. I’ve still been drinking Rodica since the incident, can’t let one explosion stop me!
That’s the power of fermentation – it’s a living thing. I’m always drawn to foods & drinks that embrace fermentation: naturally leavened bread, any and all pickles, sour beers, natural wines. I love wines that balance fruity notes with funky, yeasty ones. If you haven’t yet explored the world of natty wine, let this bottle be your introduction.
Rodica Pét-Nat feels perfectly apt for a sunny afternoon and I hope you will try it!
*you too could have a life-changing wine experience at our Spring Wine & Cheese class! Our 2026 class is taking place May 27th: Tickets Here!
