How do you make champagne?

To make champagne, producers first of all develop a base white wine, before including a mixture of yeast and sugar-- known as the liqueur de tirage-- to it. The wine is then bottled, with the yeast and sugar activating a 2nd fermentation process inside the bottle. The sediment is then gotten rid of through a process understood as riddling, prior to the bottles are topped up with a 'dose'-- a mix of red wine and sugar-- and sealed with a champagne cork and wire cage.

The initial step in making champagne is to develop a base wine. To do this, manufacturers source grapes from one or more of the Champagne area's numerous appellations d'origine contr�l�e (AOC). The vast majority of champagne is used a mix of three grapes: Pinot Noir, which offers the wine body and structure; Pinot Meunier, which adds fruitiness; and Chardonnay, which imparts sophistication and skill.

When the grapes have actually been gathered-- typically by hand-- they are crushed and the juice (called should) is drawn out. The need to is then moved to stainless steel tanks, where it goes through a main fermentation. During this procedure, the yeast Aureobasidium consumes the grape sugar and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide.

After primary fermentation is complete, the red wine is racked off its lees-- the dead yeast cells and other solid matter that have settled at the bottom of the tank-- and a mixture of yeast and sugar (the liqueur de tirage) is contributed to it. The wine is then bottled and the liqueur de tirage sets off a 2nd fermentation process inside the bottle.

This secondary fermentation takes around two weeks and during this time, the yeast cells convert the sugar into alcohol and co2. The carbon dioxide is released from the white wine and becomes caught in the bottle, developing the bubbles that are characteristic of champagne.

The bottles are positioned upside down in racks so that the sediment developed during fermentation settles in the neck of the bottle once fermentation is total. The sediment is then removed through a process known as riddling, which includes the progressive turning of the bottles so that the sediment gathers in the neck. This procedure takes around 3 weeks.

When the sediment has actually been removed, the bottles are topped up with a 'dosage'-- a mixture of red wine and sugar-- and sealed with a champagne cork and wire cage. The quantity of sugar included to the wine at this stage determines the sweet taste of the last champagne.

The champagne is left to age for a minimum of 15 months. Throughout this time, the wine goes through a procedure called autolysis, during which the yeast cells break down and release flavour compounds into the red wine.  click resources When the champagne has been aged for the minimum period, it is all set for sale.