The Basics |
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Getting the Bubbles into Bubbly |
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We see bubbles in plenty of other beverages such as cola and sparkling water, but nothing emulates luxury, opulence and celebration
like Champagne's beautiful lines of small bubbles (also known as "beads") traveling from the bottom of the glass to the surface. The
tall, slender silhouette of the champagne glass is specially designed to enhance this effect and help the bubbles survive as long
as possible. First, we want to mention that we're going to talk about the bubbles in Champagne in this article, though other countries and regions of the world make sparkling wine outside of Champagne, France - they're just not allowed to call what they make Champagne (note that some American companies knowingly break this "rule"). The process of making sparkling wine did start with the French, and remains the standard for creating the world's highest quality bubbly. So, now let's talk about the steps of the Champagne-making process, which the French give the fancy name of "Méthode Champenoise." Of course, it all starts with harvesting the grapes. There are only three grapes allowed in Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Some Champagnes are made with only Chardonnay (called Blanc de Blancs) or only Pinot Noir (Blanc de Noir), but for the most part Champagnes are a blend of these grapes. Next, the grapes are pressed to extract the juice before undergoing the first fermentation. Each grape's juice will ferment separately within stainless steel tanks, resulting in still wine and no bubbles since the carbon dioxide generated by the fermentation is allowed to escape. Now, the maker of the Champagne takes the still wines and decides if they should be blended, and if so, in what combination should they be blended to create the best possible bubbly. After blending the still wines together, the winemaker adds more sugar and yeast to the blend in order to kick off a second fermentation. This second fermentation will ultimately create the bubbles. At this point, the wine is placed into bottles and topped with a temporary cap. As the second fermentation occurs within the bottles, the carbon dioxide that's produced is trapped in the bottle and will ultimately become the bubbles. The fermentation also creates sediment that collects in the bottle and must ultimately be removed (can you imagine paying a healthy sum of money for Champagne with ugly sediment floating in it?). The Champagne must age after fermentation so that the flavors, body and aromas are allowed to mature. Once the bottles have aged enough, it's time for the sediment to be removed. So, how do the winemakers do it? It starts with getting the sediment to collect together in the neck of the champagne bottle, a process called riddling. Basically, the bottle is placed into a frame at an angle pointing slightly towards the neck. Then, every day each bottle is turned slightly and also tilted slightly more, raising the bottom of the bottle and moving the neck down; after 6-8 weeks, the bottles will be completely upside-down and all of the sediment will be collected in the neck. To get rid of the sediment, the neck of the bottle is dipped into a brine solution, which freezes it. The bottle is then turned right-side up and the temporary cap is removed; the pressure in the bottle due to the carbon dioxide trapped inside expels the frozen sediment out like a cannon. This process is called dégorgement. The bottle must immediately be sealed again to keep a majority of the carbon dioxide from escaping. Right before the bottle is sealed for good, a small amount of wine and sugar is added as a part of the dosage. This dosage will ultimately help determine how dry or sweet the ultimately the Champagne will be when it's purchased and consumed. Finally, the real cork seals the bottle and the process is complete. And here's a fun piece of trivia for you... after going through this painstaking effort, a bottle of Champagne will contain over 55 million bubbles! Craving some good Champagne after reading this article? Purchase excellent French bubbly from Veuve Clicquot, |
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