Almost all Bourgogne varietals are authorized to make Crémant de Bourgogne (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay, Aligoté, Melon, Sacy, etc.), but there is nothing left to chance when it comes to plot selection.
The grapes are carefully chosen and the production process differs to that of still wines. The grapes are harvested early to preserve the acidity required to give Crémant de Bourgogne wines all their freshness.
The sparkle is created by the addition of a liqueur de tirage (base wine mixed with sugar and yeast) when the wine is bottled. This causes a second fermentation to take place in the bottle, which creates carbon dioxide. This in turn produces the bubbles in the glass when the wine is poured.
The bottles are then held in racks pointing downwards so the yeast deposits collect in the neck. The bottles are then rotated or “riddled”, by hand or by machine, to encourage the deposits to fall.
These yeasts are then disgorged and a liqueur d’expédition is added which determines the sweetness of the finished wine, and whether it will be brut, sec, demi-sec or doux.
You can find out about each step in the process by watching our animation about the production of Crémant de Bourgogne wines.
Maximum 3 months before marketing, the bottles are prepared. The liquid in the neck of the bottle is frozen and the frozen plug of sediment is removed thanks to the pressure contained in the bottle.