The Production of Champagne
Champagne (French: le champagne) is a sparkling wine grown and vinified in France according to strict regulations. In many parts of the world, it is considered the most festive of all beverages. The exclusive growing area is the Champagne wine region (la Champagne). Its designation is legally protected. The carbon dioxide dissolved in the wine is produced during a second fermentation in the bottle, known as the “Méthode traditionnelle” or “Méthode champenoise.”
Grape Varieties
Almost exclusively, three grape varieties are used to make Champagne: the red grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and the white grape Chardonnay. Other varieties such as Arbane, Petit Meslier, and Pinot Blanc are permitted but nearly disappeared after the phylloxera crisis.
The art of Champagne production lies in the blending of these varieties. In part of the Champagne region, the Côte des Blancs, predominantly single-variety Chardonnay cuvées are made, known as Blanc de Blancs.
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Pinot Noir accounts for 38.4% of the vineyard area and provides body to the wine.
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Pinot Meunier covers 33.3% and adds fruitiness.
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Chardonnay makes up 28.3% and contributes finesse.
Assemblage (Blending)
The first step is to produce a base wine through alcoholic fermentation of the grape juice. For bottle fermentation, the base wine can be blended from different vintages. About 80% of all Champagnes are non-vintage and consist of a blend (assemblage) of base wines from multiple years.
Up to 100 different wines can be combined to create a single Champagne. A typical non-vintage Champagne’s base wine consists of roughly 70% from the current year and 30% reserve wines from previous vintages. Reserve wines allow Champagne houses to produce a consistent taste year after year.
Bottle Fermentation (Méthode Champenoise)
To trigger the second fermentation, sugar (cane or beet) and yeast are added to the base wine. The bottles are sealed with a crown cap, which has an internal plastic capsule (bidule) to catch the sediment that forms during aging.
The second fermentation usually occurs between March and May of the year following the harvest and lasts about three weeks. The alcohol content of the Champagne increases by approximately 1.2% compared to the base wine. Only in the Champagne region may this process be called “Méthode champenoise.”
Before shipment, the yeast must be removed from the bottle. The bottles are placed in riddling racks (pupitres). On the first day, the bottles are nearly horizontal, slightly tilted toward the cap. Over 21 days, the bottles are gradually tilted and rotated. During the first two weeks, they remain at the same angle but are turned by one-tenth of a rotation daily. An experienced riddleur can process 40,000–50,000 bottles per day.
To remove the sediment, the bottle neck is passed through a cold brine bath so that the yeast forms a frozen plug. The crown cap is then removed, and the plug is expelled by the pressure inside the bottle—a process called disgorging (dégorgement).
Dosage
Before final corking with a Champagne cork, the wine lost during disgorging is topped up with the dosage. The composition of the dosage is a closely guarded secret of Champagne houses. It gives the Champagne its characteristic style and determines sweetness levels, ranging from very dry to sweet.
The dosage may consist of sweet wines or a sweet reserve from the base wine. Usually, sugar syrup is added. In some houses, a spirit such as Cognac is included to compensate for alcohol loss in very sweet Champagnes. For sweet Champagnes, some liquid is removed from the bottle before dosage.