the art of traditional
méthode champenoise

Méthode Champenoise is a method of making sparkling wine by allowing the last stage of fermentation to take place in the bottle. The Gruet family brought this method from France to New Mexico and uses it to make world-class sparkling wines.

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Step 1

The winemaker makes a dry, still, high-acid, low-alcohol white wine (base wine).

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Step 2

Yeast and sugar are added to the wine in the bottle and immediately capped.

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step 3

This creates a second fermentation in the bottle, and takes 30 days to complete.

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step 4

Wine is aged on the lees (dead yeast cells and other particles) while still in bottle.

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step 5

After lees-aging is complete, the wine is riddled and disgorged to collect the remaining lees from each bottle, leaving a clear sparkling wine.

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step 6

The wine is quickly topped off, and sweetness (dosage) is added if desired. The bottle is resealed, cellared, and eventually released for sale.

Santé!