Drink of the Week: Ama Brewery BAT Sencha Pét-Nat Tea

Celebrated for its wines, ciders, and dishes of provenance, Spain’s Basque Country now offers a delicious new product: Ama Brewery’s new low-alcohol line of bottle-fermented kombuchas dubbed “pét-nat teas.” As a regular kombucha drinker and initial pét-nat tea skeptic, I was delightfully surprised by Ama’s new offerings. They’re produced with thoughtfully sourced teas not often used in kombucha. Think: milk oolong from Taiwan and tea varietals from Malawi.

Take the BAT, for example, made with Yabukita variety sencha from Japan. The tea leaves receive only a light steam. The tea is then lightly sweetened and fermented for up to several weeks. Made with water sourced from the Alzola natural spring, BAT (2.7% ABV) is expressive and elegant. Its crisp, fine bubbles and notes of citrus and salinity pair perfectly with cheese plates or dinner parties. $49.99, wineandcheeseplace.com