You Had Me at Pét-Nat

A Natural Wine-Soaked Memoir

By: Rachel Signer

Narrated by: Katherine Littrell

From the publisher of Pipette Magazine, discover a natural wine-soaked memoir about finding your passion - and falling in love.

It was Rachel Signer's dream to be that girl: the one smoking hand-rolled cigarettes out the windows of her 19th-century Parisian studio apartment, wearing secondhand Isabel Marant jeans and sipping a glass of Beaujolais redolent of crushed roses with a touch of horse mane. Instead she was an underappreciated freelance journalist and waitress in New York City, frustrated at always being broke and completely miserable in love. When she tastes her first pétillant-naturel (pét-nat for short), a type of natural wine made with no additives or chemicals, it sets her on a journey of self-discovery, both deeply personal and professional, that leads her to Paris, Italy, Spain, Georgia, and finally deep into the wilds of South Australia and which forces her, in the face of her "Wildman", to ask herself the hard question: Can she really handle the unconventional life she claims she wants?

Have you ever been sidetracked by something that turned into a career path? Did you ever think you were looking for a certain kind of romantic partner but fell in love with someone wild, passionate, and with a completely different life? For Signer, the discovery of natural wine became an introduction to a larger ethos and philosophy that she had long craved: one rooted in egalitarianism, diversity, organics, environmental concerns, and ancient traditions. In You Had Me at Pét-Nat, as Signer begins to truly understand these revolutionary wine producers upending the industry, their deep commitment to making their wine with integrity and with as little intervention as possible, she is smacked with the realization that unless she faces, head-on, her own issues with commitment, she will not be able to live a life that is as freewheeling, unpredictable, and singular as the wine she loves.

©2022 Rachel Signer (P)2022 Hachette Books

Critic reviews

"From Paris to Australia, Signer takes us on a gripping journey to reclaim her sense of self through the medium of the natural wine she loves so much. You Had Me at Pét-Nat is a reminder of the importance of rebirth, the restorative power of love, and the invigorating gifts of nature. A must read for bon vivants and explorers alike." (Victoria James, author of Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier)

"I lean more toward Champagne than Pét-Nat, but Rachel Signer’s addictive memoir drew me deep into the world of natural wine and into the company of its eccentric, obsessive and hedonistic citizens. Ultimately, though, it is Signer’s personal journey, her search for love and identity, which makes this such a compelling and moving book." (Jay McInerney, author of Bright Lights, Big City and Bacchus and Me: Adventures in the Wine Cellar)

"You Had Me at Pét-Nat was like my favorite bottle of wine; I consumed it in one sitting. Dive head-first into the natural wine world with Rachel Signer to discover why these wines will deepen your pleasure as you meet the witty oddballs who make them. This is also the story of how one woman found healing and love when she finally let go of who she thought she should be and started living fully, wildly alive, as much as the wine in her glass." (Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White, and Drunk All Over and Unquenchable!)

True Writer. Hard to Put Down Story.

Such a wonderfully crafted story. Genuine and revealing so that anyone who is open to themselves could relate (I'm a 35 ur old married man with kids and the love story still felt very relatable) Loads of enjoyable natural wine content along the way (the reason I originally listened) well done!

A Beautiful Walk through Love and Wine

The Love Story is a fantastic way to take us all for a walk through the world (and challenges) of Wine Grape Growing, Wine Making & the opportunities the Love of Wine can bring.

Fantastic story

Loved this equally for its fun, romantic story and education on natural wine. I learned so much!