Definition: Champagne method

A method used to produce sparkling wines in Champagne, involving the addition of a liqueur de tirage before bottling, secondary fermentation in the bottle, storage on racks, riddling, disgorging and dosage with the addition of liqueur d'expédition. This more sophisticated method is mandatory for the production of champagne-type wines, which are the only ones eligible to use the designation "méthode champenoise" on the label.

The secret of the tiny bubbles in sparkling wine. At aperitif time, it is customary to serve a glass of wine. The bubbles sparkle in the flutes and brighten up our celebrations. Although sparkling wines are very popular, only one of them is entitled to bear the coveted name of champagne. Legend has it that a Benedictine monk from Hautvilliers Abbey, near Epernay, had such a fondness for wine that he regularly tasted one bottle or another. To leave no trace, he would fill them with grape juice before recorking them. However, the fermentation of the sugar in the must promoted the formation of carbon dioxide, which could not escape, so that the wines sparkled when they were opened a second time.

See champagnisation.

The history of champagne

Champagne, France's northernmost wine-growing region, already had vineyards in the 4th century. Its capital, Reims, the coronation site of French kings, became a thriving commercial centre over time. It was Louis XIV who contributed to the success of Champagne wine by making it his table wine. Like all legends, this one contains a grain of truth: at the end of the 17th century, the Benedictine monks Dom Pérignon and Brother Jean Oudart did indeed seek to refine the quality of the wines by blending them with different grape varieties. However, they did not appreciate the fact that their wines were sparkling, going so far as to consider the bubbles a defect, as this meant they had to attach the corks to the neck of the bottle to prevent them from popping out too early. It was under the impetus of the English, who were seduced by these sparkling bubbles, that champagne finally gained its letters of nobility. Today, champagne is a protected brand and undoubtedly the most rigorously controlled wine in the world. Five institutions are responsible for quality control, ensuring compliance with the many applicable guidelines and the use of the "champagne" appellation. This does not prevent the method from varying from one producer to another, as the secret of its production is passed down from generation to generation.

Champagne method – production

The three grape varieties authorised for AOC Champagne are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and the white Chardonnay. The grapes are harvested by hand and pressed with great care to avoid any accidental colouring of the juice. On the traditional press, the yield is limited to 2,550 litres of must for 4,000 kilos of grapes, with each grape variety fermented separately until blending in the spring. To preserve the typical characteristics of a champagne from one year to the next, the cellar master composes a secret blend that can contain up to 50 base wines from different vintages, to which he adds sugar and yeast before bottling. This is followed by fifteen months of maturation, during which carbon dioxide forms and the dead yeast settles. This is where the remueur comes in, whose role is to repeatedly turn and stand upright the bottles stored on riddling racks. The aim of this operation is to collect the sediment in the neck of the bottle. After six weeks of riddling, the champagne is ready for disgorging: this technique involves immersing the neck of the bottle in a refrigerant to form an easily removable ice plug. This loss of liquid is compensated for by the addition of what is traditionally known as the liqueur d'expédition, composed of mature wines and sugar. Its dosage determines the type of champagne – brut, dry or demi-sec – giving it its final touch.

The liqueur d'expédition (or dosage liqueur)

After removing the lees deposit, the loss of volume must be compensated for by adding the liqueur d'expédition, made from wine and sugar. With regard to the types of champagne, the following categories are distinguished (according to dosage):

Non-dosage: the bottles contain only champagne.

Extra brut: up to 6 g/l of residual sugar.

Brut: up to 15 g/l of residual sugar.

Extra dry: between 12 and 20 g/l of residual sugar.

Sec: between 17 and 35 g/l of residual sugar.

Demi sec: between 35 and 50 g/l of residual sugar (these champagnes are perfect with desserts).

Sweet: more than 50 g/l of residual sugar (in the 19th century, sweet champagnes were very popular and some contained up to 120 g/l of residual sugar. Nowadays, this is very rarely the case for champagnes).

The great diversity of champagnes

In years when the harvest is particularly good, a vintage cuvée is produced from the best wines, without the addition of reserve wines from previous years. A vintage champagne is aged for at least three years before being sold. While most branded champagnes are made from the traditional blend of three grape varieties, there are also specialities made from a wide variety of blends, ranging from 100% Pinot Noir, known as blanc de noirs, to 100% Chardonnay, known as blanc de blancs. Pinot Noir gives champagne red fruit aromas, Chardonnay brings citrus notes and a slight bitterness, while Pinot Meunier evokes honey. Rosé champagne is obtained by leaving the skins of black grapes to colour the juice overnight. Another authorised method is to add a little red wine to the white base wines.

Storage, serving and tasting

Normally, champagne is ready to drink as soon as it is released for sale. Stored away from temperature fluctuations, disturbances and light, it retains its freshness for 1 to 2 years. Given the painstaking process involved in its production, champagne deserves first-class treatment, with an ideal serving temperature of 6 to 9 degrees. To avoid popping the cork, it is advisable to grip it firmly and then gently turn the bottle. It should be noted that champagne can also taste corked. Finally, it will blossom fully when served in a thin tulip-shaped glass. The tasting ritual consists of first observing the bubbles, then listening to their delicate fizz before smelling the bouquet.

One last tip: avoid swirling the champagne in the glass, but let the bubbles sparkle on your tongue.