Sparkling wines are produced in the same method as are white wines until fermentation is complete. At this stage the wine is bottled, however, it is not bottled in the same way as normal wines are. Sugar water and more yeast are added and the bottles are capped with an airtight seal (a beer cap to be specific).

With sugar and yeast present in the bottle, more fermentation takes place. As CO2 is produced, the wine becomes carbonated because there is nowhere for the gas to escape to. When this bottle fermentation is complete, the sparkling wine has only one problem to solve: how to get the yeast and sediment out of the bottle without losing the carbonation.

This procedure is called Methode Champenoise and it consists of placing the bottles in specially designed racks that keep the bottles tilted at an angle. Twice a day the bottles are "riddled," meaning that someone lifts each bottle out of the rack slightly, turns it a quarter of a turn, then slams it back down into the rack. This process eventually settles the sediment into the neck of the bottle.

At this point the bottles are turned completely upside down and sent through a disgorging line. During the disgorging process, the neck of the bottles are frozen creating a small ice plug in the very end. The caps are removed, and the pressure that is released shoots the ice plug out (with all the sediment). A little wine, called a dosage, is put back in the bottle to replace any wine lost and the bottles are quickly corked with traditional champagne corks and cages.

 

If you have any questions or want further information please send your e-mail's to: wines@adhills.com.au