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to ensure harvesting by hand, and to govern the winemaking
process, always aiming at improving Champagne quality.
The Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC)
is charged with organizing and controlling the production, dis-
tribution, and promotion of the wines of Champagne as well as
conducting research. CIVC is considered a model organization
for having guaranteed the development and quality of Cham-
pagne over the past 50 years, as well as shaping and coordinat-
ing the Champenois’ aspirations and hopes for the future.
The Process
The Champagne-making process is an intricate hands-on
method, carefully developed and cultivated over hundreds
of years.
Harvest. The Champagne-making process begins with
the vines. Only three varieties of grapes are used in the
production of Champagne: pinot noir, pinot meu-
nier and chardonnay. During the harvest, grapes are
carefully picked by hand and sorted to remove any
damaged fruit. As quickly as possible, the grapes
are then pressed in large, low presses.
First Fermentation. After the grapes are pressed,
they are stored in stainless steel vats – though oc-
casionally this is done in oak barrels – to undergo
the first fermentation. This process yields a still
wine.
Blending. After the first fermentation is com-
plete, the still wine is blended by the cellar mas-
ter with various other base wines. This produces
a blend that will match the house style, and
can include as many as 70 different base wines
– each adding a distinct quality to the blend.
For non-vintage Champagne, a certain amount
of reserve wine (wine set aside from previous
harvests) is added as well. It is this carefully
managed task that lends a consistent character to
each Champagne house.
Second Fermentation. Once the blend is com-
plete, it is bottled, and a mixture of sugar and
yeast, known as the “liqueur de triage”, is added.
The bottle is closed with a crown cap and laid down horizontally
in a cool, dark cellar. The minimum amount of time the wine
ages is 15 months for non-vintage and three years for vintage,
but most Champagne is aged for longer than these minimal rules
stipulate.
Riddling. After aging, the yeast deposit remain-
ing from the second fermentation is
encouraged down the neck of the
inverted bottle through a
series of quarter or
half-quar-
ter
turns,
during
which the
bottle
moves
from
a horizontal
position to an
inverted one. This
process, called rid-
dling, takes an average
of eight weeks by hand,
or eight days by machine.
Disgorgement and Dosage.
Once settled, the sediment
is removed by immersing the
Champagne bottleneck in an ice-
cold brine that freezes the residue
into
a small ice block. It is then removed from the bottle,
either by hand or mechanically. Then, a small amount of
sugar dissolved in wine is added before the final cork is
inserted in the bottle. This solution contains a specific measure
of sugar that will define the sweetness of the wine.
A Note on Sweetness
In addition to classifying Champagne styles, classifications are
also used to refer to sweetness. Producers can regulate
the sweetness by controlling fermentation. For example,
stopping fermentation early leaves some natural grape
sugar in the finished wine. In general, there are five levels of
sweetness: