the champagne industry is heavily
regulated the grapes must be locally
grown in the Champagne region of France
they can only use three types of grapes
black Pinot Noir Pinot Meunier or white
Chardonnay to produce champagne
additional rules regulate how the grapes
can be pruned picked pressed fermented
and aged workers harvest the grapes in
mid-september they use aerated crates to
transfer the crops to a grape press they
crush the grapes and immediately filter
the juice the grape skins and pulp can
alter the juices flavor so they have to
be removed quickly vintage champagne is
fermented in old oak barrels they use a
sulfur disc to disinfect the barrels
between uses first a worker lights the
disc and inserts it through a hole on
the side the flame goes out once it's
sealed inside the barrel the sulfur
smoke fills the barrel and kills off any
bacteria non vintage champagnes are
produced in these stainless steel tanks
they start the fermentation process by
adding yeast to the grape juice in about
ten days the yeast turns the sugar into
alcohol and carbon dioxide gas the
alcohol level of the wine is now about
ten and a half percent there are no
bubbles yet because the co2 escape
through the top of the tank
each fermentation barrel and tank is
labeled based on where the juice inside
originated the grape juices from each
village have distinctive tastes caused
by differences in soil composition and
sun exposure blending begins after the
first fermentation the wineries experts
experiment with different combinations
until they find the taste and aroma
they're looking for they bottle the
mixture with yeast and sugar and place
it in a cold damp cellar for five weeks
this second fermentation raises the
alcohol content to twelve and a half
percent after fermentation they lie the
bottles down horizontally and let the
champagne age for up to ten years after
the aging the bottles go into a machine
that freezes the neck the yeast residue
freezes in a small ice cube under the
cork the carbon dioxide is invented
during the second fermentation when
workers open each bottle the gas
pressure ejects the ice cube this
procedure is called disgorging a worker
turns the bottle to minimize the amount
of champagne that escapes then he smells
it to make sure the champagne hasn't
spoiled the winery makes a special
liqueur out of wine and cane sugar which
they add to the champagne the amount of
liqueur added brings the champagne to
one of three sweetness levels known as
Brut set or Debbie SEK the filling
machine secures the new cork with the
wire cap the next machine rotates the
bottles to mix in the liqueur then the
bottles go back into the cellar for at
least three months after they come out
of the cellar the bottles go through an
automated washing machine
a worker inspects every bottle for
floating cork particles or flaws in the
glass the labeling machines first
stationed places gold foil over the neck
the foil label bears the winery's name
the second station fires a shot of
compressed air to mold the foil to the
shape of the cork the third station
glues on the neck label it's made of
varnished paper then the last station
applies an adhesive label to the front
of the bottle a scanner makes sure the
foil and labels are in the correct place
this bottle of champagne is finally
ready to drink