Traditional method (Méthode Champenoise)

The Méthode Champenoise, or traditional method, is a process used to make sparkling wine like Champagne. It involves a second fermentation inside the bottle, where alcohol and carbonation develop together. First, a base still wine is bottled with a mixture of sugar and yeast. The bottle is sealed, and fermentation occurs in the bottle, producing bubbles. After aging, the bottles are riddled—gradually tilted and turned—to collect yeast sediment near the neck. The neck is then frozen, sediment is removed in a process called disgorging, and a dosage of wine and sugar is added before sealing. This meticulous process creates the wine’s fine, persistent sparkle.