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

Harvest Chardonnay grapes early morning at cool temperatures to preserve acidity. Sort to remove damaged fruit and leaves. Whole-cluster press gently (preferably pneumatic press) to obtain clear juice; discard heavy press fractions. Collect free-run and light press fractions separately and target for a delicate Blanc de Blancs style.

Harvest and Press

Add pectinolytic enzyme to the must (follow manufacturer dosing) and allow 2–4 hours maceration at low temperature to improve clarification. Measure °Brix and total acidity; make small adjustments if necessary (target must ~18–20 °Brix for ~12% ABV after fermentation, or adjust juice volume). Add potassium metabisulfite at 30 g per 100 kg crushed fruit (approx. 30 ppm SO2 target free SO2 will be adjusted later) to inhibit wild yeast and oxidation.

Must Treatment

Inoculate clarified juice with a neutral, clean Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain suited to preserve Chardonnay aromatics. Rehydrate and acclimate yeast per manufacturer instructions. Add yeast nutrient (5 g per 100 kg equivalent) at inoculation. Ferment in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures (14–16°C) to preserve delicate fruit and maintain freshness. Ferment to dryness (residual sugar <2 g/L), monitoring Brix and temperature. Aim for final alcohol around 11.5–12.5% v/v and total acidity 7–9 g/L tartaric (adjust with tartaric acid if required).

Primary Fermentation

After fermentation, allow lees settling and racking. Cold stabilize the wine (near 0–2°C) for several days to precipitate tartrates. Rack off gross lees; if desired perform light fining or filtration to produce a crystalline, bright cuvée appropriate for Blanc de Blancs. Measure and adjust free SO2 to 25–30 ppm with potassium metabisulfite to protect wine before tirage.

Clarification and Stabilization

Prepare the liqueur de tirage by dissolving the required amount of sucrose in a small portion of the still base wine or deionized water and pasteurize or sterilize if necessary. For traditional bottle fermentation, dose roughly 24 g/L of sugar to achieve ~6 atm pressure (this corresponds to ~8 kg sucrose for ~90 L; confirm exact dosage based on target pressure and temperature). Add yeast nutrient if using (10 g total for the batch).

Prepare Tirage Liqueur

Blend the base cuvée, the liqueur de tirage, and the rehydrated, pressure-tolerant secondary fermentation yeast. Stir gently to ensure homogeneity. Fill bottles with the tirage blend, leaving appropriate headspace, and seal with sturdy crown caps or temporary closures designed for prise de mousse. Place bottled wine in a cool (13–16°C) cellar for secondary fermentation.

Inoculation and Bottling

Allow secondary fermentation to take place in bottle over 2–6 weeks; CO2 produced will dissolve into the wine and form pressure. After fermentation, age the bottles on lees for an extended period to develop autolytic richness and the desired aroma profile. For a Brut Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs style, age on lees for a minimum of 18 months; many producers extend to 36 months or more for added complexity.

Secondary Fermentation and Aging on Lees

After the desired lees aging, consolidate bottles for riddling. Perform manual riddling on pupitres or use a gyropalette to gradually turn and incline bottles over 2–6 weeks until the yeast lees collect in the neck and bottle is nearly upside-down. Periodically tighten crown caps if needed to maintain seal.

Riddling (Remuage)

Prepare for disgorgement by freezing the necks of bottles (neck freezing) so the frozen plug of lees can be expelled. Remove crown caps, quickly expel the frozen plug under the wine’s pressure, and minimize wine loss. Work swiftly to maintain cleanliness and pressure.

Disgorging (Dégorgement)

Immediately after disgorgement, top up each bottle with the predetermined liqueur d'expédition (dosage). For Brut level sweetness aim for 6–12 g/L residual sugar in the final wine; adjust the concentration of the dosage liqueur accordingly (typical dosage volume will be small, a few mL per bottle — for this recipe use ~2 L total for ~120 bottles equivalent). Add a small SO2 adjustment (use potassium metabisulfite ~5 g for the batch) to bring free SO2 to a protective level (target 25–35 ppm). Seal bottles with natural cork and wire muselet or with sparkling wine closures appropriate for the region.

Dosage and Final Corking

Allow bottles to rest upright for a few weeks after corking to integrate dosage and settle. Then cellar for additional months as desired before release. Chill gently before service and serve well chilled (6–8°C).

Bottle Maturation and Release

Chardonnay grapes (ripe, high-acid)

Potassium metabisulfite (for SO2 addition)

Yeast nutrient (di-ammonium phosphate or blend)

Wine yeast (neutral Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain suited to sparkling wine)

Enzyme (pectinase/clarifying enzyme)

Tartaric acid (optional, for acid adjustment)

Cuvée (base still Chardonnay wine)

Liqueur de tirage (sugar for secondary fermentation — sucrose)

Secondary fermentation yeast (high alcohol, pressure-tolerant strain)

Yeast nutrient for tirage (optional)

Bottle corks or crown caps (for sealed fermentation)

Aging liqueur (liqueur d'expédition / dosage) — sugar dissolved in base wine or neutral wine

Potassium metabisulfite (for final SO2 adjustment)

Stainless steel press and tanks, bottles, riddling racks (pupitres) or gyropalette

Disgorging equipment (neck freezing or manual disgorging tools)

Brut Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs

Make Brut Premier Cru Blanc De Blancs Recipe in just 480h . Chardonnay - 12%

Brut Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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