The traditional method for making sparkling wine, sometimes called méthode traditionnelle, is the classic way of creating bubbles inside the bottle. A still base wine is first made from suitable grapes, then a measured mixture of yeast and sugar is added before the wine is bottled and sealed. This triggers a second fermentation in the bottle, which produces carbon dioxide that cannot escape and so dissolves into the wine, forming fine, persistent bubbles. Over time the wine rests on its spent yeast cells, known as lees, which can add flavours and textures like brioche, toast, biscuit and a creamy mouthfeel.
Once the second fermentation and lees ageing are complete, the bottles are gradually turned and tilted so the yeast sediment collects in the neck. This is done either by hand on a rack (riddling) or by machine. The neck is then frozen and the plug of sediment is expelled when the bottle is opened briefly (disgorgement), leaving the wine clear. A small amount of wine, sometimes with dissolved sugar, is added to top up the bottle (dosage), which helps determine the final sweetness level, from very dry styles to softer, slightly sweeter ones, before the bottle is finally corked and wired.
This method is most famously used in Champagne, but it is also the standard for many other high-quality sparkling wines around the world. In France, Crémant from regions such as Alsace, Burgundy, and the Loire is commonly made this way, while in Spain top Cava producers use the same approach for their best wines. In the UK, many English sparkling wines from Sussex, Kent, and Hampshire are made using the traditional method and in Italy Franciacorta is another well-known example, all sharing that signature combination of fine bubbles and bready, lees-influenced complexity.
