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Ingredients
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Champagne Base
Method
Fermentation
- 1
Harvesting Grapes
Select ripe Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes and harvest them.
- 2
Pressing
Press the grapes gently to extract the juice. Separate the juice from the skins and seeds.
- 3
Primary Fermentation
Inoculate the grape juice with yeast and allow it to ferment for 2-3 weeks at controlled temperatures.
- 4
Racking
After fermentation, rack the wine off the lees into a clean vessel to clarify.
- 5
Secondary Fermentation
Add sugar and yeast to the wine, then bottle it with a temporary cap. Allow it to ferment a second time for about 6-12 months.
Aging and Disgorging
- 6
Aging
Store the bottles horizontally in a cool, dark place for aging. Allow the champagne to develop its flavors over 3-5 years.
- 7
Riddling
Gradually tilt the bottles to remove sediment over a period of weeks.
- 8
Disgorging
Freeze the neck of the bottle, remove the temporary cap, and expel the frozen sediment.
- 9
Dosage
Add a mixture of sugar and wine to adjust sweetness before corking.
- 10
Corking
Seal the bottles with corks and wire cages, then allow the champagne to rest for a few months before serving.

