How Champagne is made ?

1: alcoholic fermentation
Conversion of natural sugar into alcohol, the grape juice turns into still wine.

2: assembling the wine
Liquid from different harvests, from different areas are blend together.

3: bottling
The Champagne is put in bottle with yeast and sugar.

4: malolactic fermentation
he yeasts turn sugar into alcohol and CO2. The carbon dioxide (CO2) cannot escape from the bottle and is dissolved in the Champagne, forming the bubbles.

5: maturation
Champagne bottles are stored horizontally in natural cool and dark chalk cellar for 1 to 3 years.

6: dégorgement
During maturation, the winemaker rotates the bottles every day to remove the lees.

Other types of Champagne

Blanc stands for white
Noir stands for black
Rosé stands for pink

Blanc de Blancs:
This Champagne is made only with Chardonnay ( white grape). There are only a few bottles made and there are quite expensive. The wine is more delicate than regular Champagne. It is the best aperitif wine available in France.

Blanc de Noirs:
This Champagne is made with black grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Most of the time, there is only Pinot Noir. Very few bottles are available, even less than Blanc de blancs.

Champagne Rosé:
Pink Champagne is made with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Winemakers add a little bit of red wine during blending. Red wine is usually coming from Bouzy, a typical Pinot Noir still wine from Champagne. Do not confuse Pink Champagne with Rosé des Cireys which is a true rosé wine.