A Riddling Rack Used in the Production of Sparkling Wines (Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash)
Méthode Traditionnelle: This is the traditional method for making sparkling wine. With this process, the secondary fermentation takes place inside the bottle, creating the bubbles. The process begins with the addition of a liqueur de tirage (see below) to a bottle of still wine. This starts second fermentation inside the bottle. This results in the production of carbon dioxide and spent yeast cells, or lees, that settle in the neck of the bottle during the riddling process (see below). The lees are then “disgorged” (see Disgorgement below) from the neck of the bottle, and replaced with the “Dosage” (see below) that gives the sparkling wine its sweetness. All Champagne and most high-quality sparkling wines are made using this process. Note: This process is also known as méthode Champenoise or méthode classique.
Liqueur de Tirage: This is a solution of wine, sugar and yeast that is added to a bottle of still wine. The addition of the liqueur de tirage starts the secondary fermentation which gives sparkling wine its bubbles.
Secondary Fermentation: The process that creates the bubbles in sparkling wine. As the wine is bottled, a small amount of yeast and sugar is added before the bottle is temporarily sealed. The yeast ferments the sugars and creating both alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 gas cannot escape and instead gets dissolved into the wine.
Riddling: This is the process of removing the sediment that remains in the bottle from the second fermentation. The bottle is placed in a rack at an angle with the neck down. The sediment begins to collect on the side of the bottle. As the bottles are riddled, or given a quarter-turn daily and gradually tilted fully upside-down, the sediment falls to the neck of the bottle.
Disgorgement: This technique is used to remove sediment from the neck of the bottle after the second fermentation. Through the riddling process (see below), the sediment settles in the bottle’s neck. The neck of the bottle is then dipped into cold brine and which causes the sediment to quickly become frozen. The bottle is turned upright and the temporary seal is removed. The plug of frozen sediment is popped out by the pressure of the built-up carbon dioxide.
Dosage (doh/zahzh): This is a small amount of wine (usually mixed with sugar) that is added back to the bottle once the yeast sediment is disgorged. This is also known as liqueur d'expedition.
Residual Sugar (RS): Unfermented sugar in the finished wine.
Styles of Sparkling Wine:
Brut Nature - This style is bone dry meaning it has little or no residual sugar (0–3 g/L RS).
Extra Brut - This style is also very dry but it can have 0–6 g/L RS
Brut - This is the most common style having 0–12 g/L RS
Extra Dry - This style is sweeter with 12–17 g/L RS
Dry - Even higher sweetness of17–32 g/L RS
Demi-Sec - Very sweet (32–50 g/L RS)
Doux - This one, while very rare to find, is really sweet (50+ g/L RS).