Several crucial stages mark the entire year: soil and vine cultivation, and the harvest. The latter marks the beginning of another cycle, that of winemaking.
It encompasses the various steps of producing quality Champagne. It begins just after the harvest and focuses on the destiny of the grapes. Once transformed into must, the grapes undergo the first fermentation, the alcoholic fermentation. The sugars, under the pressure of the yeasts, convert into alcohol, initiating the stabilization of the liquid, turning it into wine.
During the bottling of the still wine, a subtle dosage of wine, yeast, and sugar, called the “liqueur de tirage,” is added. It triggers a fermentative process crucial for the secondary fermentation and the appearance of bubbles. This double fermentation process characterizes Champagnes.
The aging on lees in the bottles initiates the development of organoleptic characteristics. The maturation period lasts a minimum of 36 months and an average of 7 years.
Essential, this marks a phase of the metamorphosis of Champagne. The still wine has transformed under the influence of the added yeast during bottling into sparkling wine. The secondary fermentation has turned the liquid into sparkling wine. The remuage (riddling) of the bottles optimizes the Champagne method, encouraging the emergence of exceptional organoleptic nuances. Simultaneously, it facilitates the concentration of sediment in the bottle neck. The neck is then cooled to -27°C, turning the sediments into ice. To expel this ice plug, the bottle is opened, and the pressure of the Champagne instantly ejects it from the container.
To balance the content, a dosage of Champagne is introduced inside the bottle. Its composition can vary in sugar content (from 0 to more) and vintage. This “liqueur d’expédition” ultimately defines the Champagne and determines its profile. After this process, a certain time is required before the bottles can be put on the market. A real osmosis between the two liquids, Champagne and the dosage, must occur. A minimum of 4 months is necessary to achieve an optimum result.
The labeling process is one of the final steps before commercialization. It involves placing a capsule with a wire cage (muselet) on each cuvée. The application of labels marks the completion of the winemaker’s work before the bottles are sold and shipped.
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