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Piquette is one of wine’s oldest ideas and one of its newest obsessions. Made by fermenting grape pomace with water, this light, often sparkling wine has roots in ancient Roman practices, European vineyard culture, and everyday resourcefulness. Once known as a drink for workers and families - sometimes simply called “second round wine” - piquette has reemerged as a symbol of sustainability, moderation, and creativity.

In this episode of The Wine Lab, we explore what piquette is, how it’s made, and why it resonates so strongly with today’s younger consumers interested in low-alcohol options and waste-conscious production. Along the way, we dig into the technical realities behind white versus red pomace, fermentation challenges, acidity management, and carbonation choices, while connecting those details to broader cultural and historical threads.

Whether you’ve already tried piquette or you’re still wondering what exactly is in that can at the wine shop, this episode reframes piquette as more than a trend: it’s a reminder that wine has always had a practical, everyday side, and that sometimes the most interesting ideas come from what’s left behind.

Glossary

Piquette – A low-alcohol wine-style beverage made by fermenting grape pomace with added water.

Pomace – The solid remains of grapes after pressing, including skins, seeds, and pulp.

White pomace – Pomace from white grapes pressed before fermentation; often contains residual sugars.

Red pomace – Pomace from red grapes after fermentation and maceration; typically low in fermentable sugar.

Lora – An ancient Roman pomace-based beverage, considered an early precursor to piquette.

Residual sugar – Sugar remaining in grape material or wine after fermentation.

Extractability – How easily compounds like phenolics or color can be released from grape skins into liquid.

Phenolics – A broad group of compounds contributing to color, bitterness, astringency, and texture in wine.

Chaptalization – The addition of sugar to increase fermentable sugars during fermentation.

Pét-nat (Pétillant Naturel) – A sparkling wine bottled before primary fermentation is complete, trapping CO₂.

NoLo – A category referring to no- and low-alcohol beverages.

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