Note 88 — Chapter II · AMERICAN GRAPES

Champagne obtains its name from the fact that it is chiefly produced in the Province of Champagne in France. Its special characteristic is that during fermentation, which is usually brought about in the bottle, the carbonic acid gas generated is absorbed by the wine. When the bottle is opened the gas is disengaged and the wine effervesces or “sparkles”. Good champagne requires grapes of high quality and of special adaptability; the fruit must be well ripened, free from decayed berries, and clean. The first fermentation takes place during a period of several months in the regular receptacles for this purpose after which the wine from several varieties of grapes is blended. Good champagne usually contains some old wine. After bottling, the wine is held at slightly different temperatures for varying lengths of time to secure proper fermentation in the bottle until at the end of several months it is held at a comparatively low temperature in which the bottles remain from three to four years. The bottles must then receive some treatment which will remove the sediment which has been formed by fermentation. This is usually done by placing them in racks cork down at about an angle of 45 degrees or a little more. By dexterously shaking and jarring the bottles the sediment is loosened and deposited in the neck of the bottle. Lastly the sediment is disgorged by skillfully withdrawing the cork, a small portion of the wine being wasted in the operation. The bottles are then filled with a dosage of rock-candy dissolved in an old dry wine, the amount used determining the sweetness of the champagne. The bottles are then corked, wired, capped, labelled and cased, after which the champagne is ready for the market.