Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

A bright, clear colour and fine persistent mousse, with a delicate flavour and a clean, crisp finish.

Harvest fully ripe Glera grapes early in the morning to preserve acidity. Immediately transfer grapes to the press. Add pectinase (1 g per 100 kg) to the grapes in the press if using; this helps juice yield and clarity. Press gently to obtain free-run and light press fractions; collect juice in sanitized stainless-steel tanks. Aim for a clear, pale juice and minimize skin contact to retain delicate aromas.

Harvest and Press

Test the juice for pH, titratable acidity (TA), and Brix. Add potassium metabisulfite to achieve ~30 ppm free SO2 for sanitation. If TA is low or pH high, add tartaric acid incrementally (up to 2 g per 100 kg as a starting guide) to reach a balanced acidity (target TA ~5.5-6.5 g/L, pH around 3.0-3.3). Hold juice cold and allow gross lees to settle for 12–24 hours.

Juice Adjustments and Sanitization

Rack the clarified juice to a sanitized stainless-steel fermenter and inoculate with chosen neutral/Champagne yeast at recommended rate (about 5 g for 100 kg as a representative small-scale quantity; follow manufacturer directions for rehydration). Ferment at a cool temperature (14–18°C) to preserve delicate aromas. Monitor fermentation until dryness (close to 0–2 g/L residual sugar). After fermentation completes, allow wine to rest on fine lees for 1–2 weeks with occasional stirring (batonnage optional but light) to develop mouthfeel.

Primary Fermentation

Cold-stabilize the base wine near 0–2°C for 1–3 weeks to precipitate tartrates. Rack off gross lees and perform fine filtration or fining (bentonite or similar) as needed to achieve a bright, clear base wine suitable for sparkling production. Adjust free SO2 to a protective level (~20–25 ppm) after stabilization.

Clarification and Stabilization

Prepare the tirage mixture to induce secondary fermentation in bottle: dissolve 24 g sugar and 1 g yeast nutrient in a small volume of warm filtered water (approx. 10 ml for solubility) and add the rehydrated yeast. Mix gently to fully dissolve. This quantity (24 g sugar) is approximate for producing ~5–6 atm in typical méthode Charmat/Traditional; the exact dosing should be calculated to achieve desired pressure (approx. 24 g/L for 5–6 bar).

Prepare Liqueur de Tirage

Blend the tirage mixture evenly into the clarified base wine. Bottle the blended wine into clean 750 ml sparkling wine bottles, leaving appropriate headspace (approx. 50–60 mm), and crown cap each bottle securely. Label lot/date for tracking. The recipe quantities above are scaled to fill ~133 bottles from 100 kg grapes (typical yield estimates).

Bottling for Secondary Fermentation

Store the capped bottles horizontally at a consistent temperature (12–16°C) to allow secondary fermentation to occur. Fermentation will create CO2 which dissolves into the wine to create the mousse. After fermentation completes, continue aging on the lees for a minimum of 6 months (Prosecco Brut-style is often aged 1–3 months in tank for Charmat or 3–12 months on lees for tank-method Prosecco; for a traditional style with fine persistent mousse, plan at least 6 months on lees). Regularly monitor pressure and clarity.

In-bottle Fermentation and Lees Aging

If bottles were aged on lees in bottle (traditional method), perform gradual riddling (hand or mechanized) to collect lees in the neck. For Charmat (tank) method, transfer from tank to bottles after disgorging and dosage steps in tank. Chill bottles to near 0°C to freeze the lees plug before disgorging.

Clarify and Prepare for Disgorging

Remove the crown cap, eject the frozen lees plug quickly, and immediately cap with a pre-chilled cork and muselet (or use sterile transfer if tank method). Minimize oxygen pickup by performing disgorging in a cold, CO2-flushed environment if possible.

Disgorging

Prepare the liqueur d'expédition (dosage) by dissolving sugar to achieve the target sweetness of Brut (~6 g/L here). Using a pipette or measuring tool, add approximately 6 g sugar worth of dosage (dissolved in ~10 ml filtered water) to each bottle prior to corking. Immediately insert a sparkling wine cork and secure with a wire muselet. Wipe bottles clean and rest upright for 24–48 hours to settle.

Dosage and Final Corking

Allow bottles to settle and harmonize for at least 1–2 weeks before release. Store bottles cool (10–14°C) and protect from light. For optimal flavor integration and mousse development, holding for 1–3 months post-disgorgement is recommended.

Final Conditioning

Label bottles with vintage/producer/lot information and ensure legal compliance for sulfite declaration if applicable. Serve chilled (6–8°C) in a tulip or flute glass to showcase a bright clear color and persistent mousse. Prosecco Brut pairs well with light appetizers, shellfish, and fresh cheeses.

Glera grapes (fresh, whole weight)

Yeast (Champagne/neutral wine strain)

Potassium metabisulfite (SO2) - for sanitation/adjustment

Tartaric acid (if needed for acidity adjustment)

Enzyme (pectinase) - optional for better pressing

Sugar (for liqueur de tirage - second fermentation)

Yeast nutrient (for tirage)

Riddling beads or bentonite (for clarification, optional)

Liqueur d'expédition (dosage) - sugar solution for final sweetness

Filtered still water (to dissolve dosage if needed)

Neutral sparkling wine bottles (750 ml)

Crown caps (for tirage)

Sparkling wine corks and wire cages (muselets)

Dosage measuring tools (pipette or graduated cylinder)

Prosecco Brut

Make Prosecco Brut Recipe in just 72h . A bright, clear colour and fine persistent mousse, with a delicate flavour and a clean, crisp finish.

Prosecco Brut

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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