Is the traditional champagne production method, which gives rise to better quality wines, at the same time, it is also the most demanding and time-consuming in terms of production. The most important facet of the traditional method is that the transformation from still wine to sparkling wine takes place entirely inside the bottle.
Step 1 – Base Wine: the grapes are harvested earlier, in order to have a wine with greater acidity, and fermentation is carried out at lower temperatures than other still wines. The winemaker blends several base wines until he finds the final blend for the sparkling wine, or else, how the Cabrita Sparkling Wines were made from a single wine and a single grape variety, Negra Mole.
Step 2 – Tirage: Yeasts and sugars are added to the base wine to start the second fermentation in the bottle, the wines are bottled and closed with a cap.
Step 3 – Second Fermentation: The second fermentation, inside the bottle, will naturally produce CO2 by the yeasts. After fermentation, the yeasts become unviable, in a process called autolysis, and remain in the bottle along with the remaining fermentation sediments.
Step 4 – Aging: The wines are aged on their lees for a certain period of time to develop texture and aromas in the wine. Most believe that the longer the wine ages on its lees, the better.
Step 5 – Remuage: The clarification process takes place by placing the bottle upside down and the sediments present in the bottle accumulate in the neck of the bottle.
Step 6 – Dégorgement: Remove the sediment from the bottle. The bottles are placed upside down and the neck is immersed in a freezing liquid, which causes the dregs to freeze in the neck of the bottle. The cap is then quickly removed, which allows the dregs to exit the pressurized bottle.
Step 7 – Dosage: At this stage, decide on the type of sparkling wine you want in terms of sweetness and top up the bottle with what is called expedition liqueur, making up the volume lost in disgorgement, then the bottles are corked, wired and labeled. In the case of Cabrita Sparkling Wines, the expedition liqueur, which was used to fill the bottles, was the same wine with no added sugar.
SPARKLING WINE ROSE EXTRA BRUT
Produced in 2013, aged only in old barrels until it was bottled in 2018. The yeasts remained in the bottle until 2020, when the disgorgement was carried out.
Colour: light pink.
Aroma: elegant and delicate, toasted brioche, nuts and caramelized fruit.
Taste: the bubble is fine, it enters vibrant and fresh, it remains velvety with a saline touch at the end.
SPARKLING WINE BLANC DE NOIR BRUT NATURE
Produced in 2016, aged in stainless steel and old barrels until it was bottled in 2018. The yeast remained in the bottle until 2020, when the disgorgement was carried out.
Colour: citrus with golden notes.
Aroma: deep and intense, notes of biscuit and ripe fruit.
Taste: the bubble is delicate, elegant and we have the feeling of creaminess, structure and well-shaped acidity.
Let’s pop some corks!
