Sparkling Wine Production

1. Sparkling Wine Production WIGA Christmas Social December 8, 2009

2. Safety First Sparkling wine may be crafted with up to 6 atmospheres of pressure (84 psia) of CO2 Beware of shrapnel Glasses (goggles) / gloves should be worn while handling bottles prior to disgorgement Care must be taken sabering sparkling wines � again the bottle could shatter / the sabered end will become a sharp glass missile.

3. Different types of carbonation Wine carbonation Same essential method as used in production of soda pop Same result � large bubbles, less of them � max pressure is ~35 psi Charmat process Wines are carbonated in a bulk pressure tank and then bottled (carbonation could be from secondary fermentation or CO2 injection Method Traditionelle CO2 produced in the bottle during a second fermentation process Yeast must be subsequently removed

4. What�s your goal? If you want to produce a quality sparkling wine, secondary fermentation in the bottle is the only way to get the fine, persistent bubbles so highly valued by sparkling aficionados If you are looking at more of a �cider� end product, then CO2 injection may be worth considering (certainly less work / lower cost)

5. How to make a sparkling wine Prepare base wine (cuv�e) Bottle & secondary fermentation Remuage (Riddling) Disgorgement Dosage

6. Prepare base wine (cuv�e) Grapes should be picked between 15 � 18 brix, 10 � 18 g/l TA, pH 2.9 � 3.2 Cuvee must be flawless Any flaws in the base wine will be amplified by CO2 Typically very little skin contact (whole cluster pressing), unless dealing with an aromatic sparkling wine If colour is desired (rose) cold soak only so to avoid extracting astringency Yeasts for primary fermentation vary, but are typically selected to make an austere cuvee Typically fermented in stainless steel Wine must be protein stable, cold stable prior, and filtered (sterile) prior to bottling & secondary fermentation

7. Bottle & secondary fermentation Bottling assembles the following components Base wine Additional sugar to produce CO2 25.2 g sugar / liter wine will yield 6 atm CO2 Also adds 1.1 � 1.5% alcohol Petillants posses 2 -2.5 atm pressure Creamants possess ~3.5 atm (require 15-18 g/l sugar) Mousseuxs require 25 g/l, yield 4.5 atm + Yeast Riddling aids may be added

8. Secondary fermentation continued Yeast Traditional yeast for secondary fermentation is DV-10 Available loose, or as encapsulated yeast Encapsulated yeast eliminates the need to riddle the wine Traditional yeast, aged surlie will impart specific aromas from autolization of the yeast which are desirable in a traditional French Champagne Fermentation typically cool (<60 deg F), bottles are stored on their sides

9. Remuage ( Riddling) Lengthy process to move yeast sediment to neck of bottle prior to disgorgement Bottles are rotated, oscillated and gradually oriented so that their necks are down, and yeast is all accumulated in the neck Not required for encapsulated yeast!

10. Disgorgement Bottles are chilled (CO2 more soluble in wine at low temperatures) Necks are frozen (using Brine, or other methods) Bottle cap is removed, ice plug ejects (with yeast)

11. Dosage Final additions before corking/capping Used for balancing/tweaking final product Wine, sugar, brandy, SO2, ascorbic acid, citric acid all possible additions Sugar additions (to sweeten/balance acidity): Brut Naturale (no sugar added) Brut 0-15 g/l Extra Dry 12 � 20 g/l Sec 17-35 g/l Demisec 33-50 g/l Doux >50 g/l Dosage must be brilliantly clear & filtered � to avoid gushing

12. Tasting! All sparkling wines selected have been fermented in the bottle All have been made from local grapes (grown on Vancouver Island or Quadra) 4 utilize traditional yeast / require riddling 2 utilize encapsulated yeast 2 use traditional grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay), 4 use non-traditional grapes

13. Venturi-Schulze Equal amounts Pinot Gris / Pinot Auxerrois, with a small amount of Kerner (acid addition) Fermented separately, blended prior to secondary fermentation Traditional yeast (DV-10), aged surlie No dosage No sulphites added

14. Zanatta Tradizionale, allegria (rose), taglio rosso (red) Tradizionale � Pinot Noir & Chardonnay Allegria Brut � Pinot Noir Taglio Rosso � Cabernet Sauvignon & Castel All secondary fermentation using traditional yeast / riddling All aged surlie (18,18,12 months)

15. South End Farms Jimmy K 2008 Named after a friend of the farm, this Pinot Gris is like his personality: sparkling, crisp, with green apple flavour.� Made in the method champenoise style with final fermentation in the bottle.� It�s bubbly, ENJOY! Variety: Pinot Gris grapes Harvest: Hand picked on Oct. 10 at Nevermore Farm, Quadra Island. Fermentation and aging:� Primary fermentation and bulk aging in steel tanks, secondary fermentation in bottle. Analysis: Alc. 11.9%alc./vol.�

16. Rocky Creek Winery Katherine�s Sparkle 2008 (Brut Naturale) 45% Ortega, 25% Gew�rztraminer, 25% Bacchus, 5% Siegerrebe Fermented separately, blended prior to bottling & secondary fermentation Encapsulated yeast (DV-10) utilized No Dosage

17. More Information A Review of M�thode Champenoise production � Bruce Zoecklein http://www.fst.vt.edu/extension/enology/downloads/463-017.pdf Vinification Methode Traditionelle: Vinification by Encapsulated Yeast: Champenoise Style � Peter Brehm http://www.brehmvineyards.com/2006ChampenoiseRecipe.pdf Scott Labs Encapsulated yeast ProElif (DV - http://www.scottlab.com/products/fermentation/documents/UsersguideforProElif.pdf