Champagne is a classic example of sparkling wine, but this wine is exclusively produced in the Champagne region of France and many sparkling wines are produced in other countries and regions, such as Cava in Spain and Cap Classique in South Africa.
Skaap Cap Classique is made using the traditional Champagne methode and using the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape.
What happens in the vineyard?
At the vineyard, grapes are harvested early by hand when there is high acid levels and when the sugar levels are still low.
The grapes are quickly pressed and seperated from their skins.
The primary fermentation of sparkling wine begins like most other wines. After fermentation the base wines are then blended to form a cuvee.
The second fermentation takes place when the cuvee is bottled with a mixture of sugar and yeast. (Traditional or "Champagne method")
One of the by products of fermentation is the creation of carbon dioxide gas. While this gas is able to be released during the first fermentation, efforts are taken during the second fermentation to retain the gas and have it dissolve into the wine. This creates a high pressure within the wine bottle and wine producers take care to package the wine in strong glass bottles. When the wine is open and poured into a glass, the gas is released and the wine becomes sparkling.
Through the process of riddling and eventually disgorgement, the dead yeast cells are removed from the wine while still maintaining the dissolved carbon dioxide gas. A dosage mixture of fresh wine and some sugar syrup is used to adjust the sweetness level of the wine after it has been disgorged.
The amount of sugar (dosage) added after the second fermentation, will dictate the sweetness level of the sparkling wine. Brut normally has fewer than 12 grams of sugar per litre.
