The chemistry of Champagne

Processing lines Sarah

S05 DUMESNIL

Introduction

Champagne : the most famous sparkling wine

I- Information about champagne industry

II- Process making of Champagne

I- Information about Champagne industry

History :

- Romans planted the first vineyards

- Dom Pérignom invented the method

- Champage known worldwide => 18th century

Economy :300 millions bottles sold in 2004

The mark guaranteeing the quality - Champagne = trade name

- Produce in Champagne (3000 ha)

- Specific climate (10°C+ rain)

- Specific soil (chalky)

- Respect specific standards

I- Information about Champagne industry

II- Process making of Champagne

10 steps

Blending

Bottling

Harvesting Pressuring1st

fermentationYeast

Yeast

Riddling disgorging Dosage

2nd fermentation Ageing

Sugar + wine

II- Process making of Champagne

1- Harvesting

- Middle September until begin October

- Right balance between sugar acidity

- Harvesting by hand, no machines

- Quickly pressed, prevent from oxidation

II- Process making of Champagne

2- Pressuring

- Several times 4h

4000 kg

=

2050 l of cuvée

450 l of taille

II- Process making of Champagne

3- 1st Fermentation

- Addition of yeast

- Fermentation 1 month

- Sugar => alcohol

- Emission of CO2

- CO2 released

4- Blending

- Winemakers blend wines

(≠soils, vineyards, years)- can go on for up to 5

months

Millésime =

only wines of one year

II- Process making of Champagne

5- BottlingAdd yeast for 2nd fermentation and bottled

6- 2nd fermentation- Bottles put in cellars with low temperature (10-12°C)- Laid horizontally => maintain contact between sediment and

wine- 2nd fermentation, 6 weeks, ↑ level of alcohol + creates

bubbles

7- AgeingChampagne ages at least 15 months

II- Process making of Champagne

8- riddlingAim : slid the deposit into the neck of the

bottle - Bottles placed at a 45 degree angle- Handled, manually or automatically

about 40 times- Turned of 1/8 or 1/4of a turn during 1

and 5 weeks- progressively brought back up to a

vertical position

Manual riddling

Automatically riddling

II- Process making of Champagne

9- Disgorging- Bottleneck dipped into a

freezing bath (-20°C)- Yeast is trapped in a ice

plug in the cap- A disgorging machine

removes the cap- The pressure shoots out the

yeast ice plug.

10- Dosage- Adjusting the blend- Addition of a combination

of sugar and wine 

Corking and bottle dressing

Conclusion

Champagne conforms to standards

Process complicate and long

Reason of the price : 15 to 200 €

Silly to drink it only on special occasion

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Thank you for your attention