Making Champagne

Methodé Champenoise

1. Harvest (if using kit, skip to #7)
2. Crush
   • Crush each berry, DO NOT DESTEM (for framework)
3. Press
   • Gentle pressing is better
   • Stop pressing when ‘runnings’ taste thin
4. Test & Additions
   • Gravity – 18 - 20ºB
     • > 20 ºB dilute with water
     • < 18 ºB – Chapitalize (add sugar)
   • Total Acid (TA) ~0.75 – 1.4g/L
   • pH ~2.9 – 3.2
   • Potassium metabisulfate (sulfite) – ¼ tsp sulfite per 5 gal
   • Yeast Nutrient – 1/8 tsp nutrient per gallon of must
5. Settling – overnight and then rack and pitch yeast
6. Yeast
   • Cote de Blanc – 10g/ 5 gallons
   • Dry: rehydrate with Go-Ferm 1.25g:1g dry yeast
   • Pitch yeast on top, don’t stir in!
7. Cuveé fermentation (1 – 2 weeks @ 50-60 ºF)
   • Start at room temp for 24hrs
   • Rack at 0ºB
8. Racking, fining and clearing (1 month – years @ 55 – 60 ºF)
   • Rack at least twice; more as needed
   • ¼ tsp sulfite per 5 gal per racking
   • Fining - Super Kleer or Sparkolloid
9. Optional - Assemblage (blending)
   • Reserve wine (save wine from previous vintage)
   • if becomes hazy, repeat #8
10. Optional - Filter
11. Bottling
    • Wine must be completely clear before bottling
    • Champagne bottles
    • Liqueur de tirage (‘priming’)
      • Per gallon of wine add:
        • 2.5oz sugar in 2.5oz water
        • 2.5g of Prise de Mousse yeast
        • 1/8 tsp yeast nutrient
        • Optional – 0.5oz Isinglass
    • Thoroughly mix wine and tirage
    • Bottle and crown cap
12. Secondary Fermentation (2 weeks – 50 years! @ 55 – 65 ºF)
    • Store sur lattes (horizontally)
    • 55 – 65 ºF
    • shake: First 3 months 1x/ week; thereafter 1x/ month
13. Remuage/riddling (1 – 8 weeks @ 55 – 65 ºF)
    • Forces yeast into neck of bottle
    • Shake each bottle and mark along the side
    • Gradually tilt bottle from horizontal to vertical position
      • Increase incline as needed (apprx: 22.5º, 45º, 67.5º, 90º)
      • Twist/counter twist each bottle 90º to right then 45º to left sharply
14. Maturing (weeks to years @ 55 – 65 ºF)
    • Store sur pointes (upside down)
    • More complexity comes from extended aging
15. Disgorging
    • Expelling lees in the necks of the bottles
    • Chill bottles as much as possible (fridge temps)
    • Freeze lees buy putting top 1” neck into Calcium Chloride-Ice brine
    • Once frozen, hold bottle at 45º angle, open
    • Pressure will expel lees
    • Put thumb over bottle open to reduce CO2 loss

Dosage Chart – sugar/ vol of wine
Natural	g/L	oz/gal	oz/bottle	oz/case
Brut	10	1.34	0.27	3.216
Extra Dry	20	2.68	0.54	6.432
Sec	30	4.02	0.80	9.648
Demisec	40	5.36	1.07	12.864
Doux	50	6.7	1.34	16.08

1. Dosage (Liquer D’expedition)
   • see dosage chart
     • table sugar dissolved in brandy or wine of lesser volume
     • completely dissolve with heating
     • add solution to each bottle based on quantity needed
   • add 1/8tsp sulfite to 12ml’s water
     • add 1ml per bottle
   • top up bottle with dry white wine
2. Corking (3 months – years)
   • Use either mushroom corks, plastic closures or crown caps
   • Fasten with wire bales
   • Wait 2 months before opening to avoid bottle shock