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   Production Methods   

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Sparkling wine production methods

There are three types of sparkling wine production methods.

1) Traditional method

2) Tank method

3) Carbonation

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★The transfer method is an intermediate method between 1) and 2) above and depending on the size of the bottle this method is also used for champagne production. Examples: Quart (1/4 bottle), half size, etc. smaller than 750 ml and Jeroboam (3ℓ) or larger bottle size

1) Traditional Method ~Also known as Champagne Method

① First, base wine is made from grapes harvested by hand, then the first alcoholic fermentation

② Blend the base wine and bottle. Add sugar and yeast there (Tirage ) and seal with a crown cap.

③ This causes alcohol fermentation in the bottle again (the secondary alcoholic  fermentation).

④ Fermentation causes bubbles in the bottle to make sparkling wine.

⑤ Ageing with lees in the bottle for generally about 9 months to 5 years

⑥ Riddling:  in order to collect the lees in the bottle top, rotate the bottle little by little with the bottle pointing down at an angle. (Automation is possible with a machine such as a gyro pallet)

⑦ Disgorging  (To remove the yeast and lees collected at the top of the bottle, freeze the top of the bottle and then remove the crown cap. The yeast and lees collected at the top of the bottle are blown out by the pressure of the bubbles.)

⑧ Dosage (Add sugar here to adjust the final taste to be dry to sweet. Sometimes it is made without adding sugar such as Brut Nature.)

⑨ Complete the bottle by cork and wire cage (Muselet ). After that, it maybe aged for some more years.

 

Wines made this way: France: Champagne, Cremant　　　Spain: Cava 　　　Italy: Franciacorta

Traditonal Method

2) Tank method (aka Sharma method)

① Make base wine as in the traditional method (the first alcoholic fermentation)

② Instead of bottling the base wine and adding sugar/yeast, the base wines are transferred into pressure resistant (stainless steel) tanks where the second alcoholic fermentation is occurred. 

③ At this time, you can choose either fresh and fruity style by removing yeast or richer with autolytic aroma (scent like yeast = brioche) by leaving lees.

④ The secondary alcohol fermentation is stopped by cooling the wine when it created bubbles and the pressure inside of the tank rises to about 5 atm.

⑤ After filtering the lees, bottling and plugging it with the Muselet to complete.

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Wines made this way: Italy: Prosecco, Lambrusco and others; Asti is a variation of Tank Method

Germany:  most Sekt
Some sparkling wines from New Worlds (Australia, New Zealand, USA, South Africa, etc.)

＊　Compared to the traditional method the cost is reduced. Suitable for fruity aroma driven wines

Tank Method

★Transfer Method

This is an intermediate production method between the traditional method and the tank method and the initial procedure is the same as in the traditional methods from ① to ⑤.

After that, without performing ➅ riddling and ⑦ disgorsing, transfer all wine into the tank and filter the lees.
The wine in the tank is subjected to ⑧dosage to adjust the final taste then bottled and the bottle is finished with the Muselet to complete.

Wines made this way:
France: Champagne bottles smaller than 750ml and larger than Jeroboam (3ℓ)

Some sparkling wines from New Worlds (Australia, New Zealand, USA, South Africa, etc.)

3) Carbon dioxide filling method (Carbonation)

Make base wine (primary alcohol fermentation only) and inject carbon dioxide (CO2) into the tank.
Completed by bottling.

＊ Cheap manufacturing method. Suitable for low cost mass production 

Carbonation
Transfer Method
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