The Classic Method, also known as the traditional or champenoise method, is a sparkling wine production process that involves inducing bottle fermentation by adding sugars and selected yeasts (liqueur de tirage). In this way, the wine acquires the traditional pressure (visible in the form of bubbles) guaranteed by the carbon dioxide produced during the second fermentation (prise de mousse) that takes place in the bottle.
After a resting period of at least two years, disgorgement (degorgement) takes place, which involves freezing the wine in the neck of the bottle, where lees and spent yeasts have settled, and removing the temporary crown cap so that the deposit is expelled by the pressure. At this point, the bottle is sealed with a cork and a metal cage is applied to prevent the cork from popping out due to the high pressure.
Finally, the bottles are washed, labeled with a main label, back label, collar, and capsule, and left to rest again in the cellar at a controlled temperature.
In conclusion, the Classic Method is a much more demanding and complex sparkling wine compared to Prosecco, which is obtained more simply using the Charmat method in an autoclave in just a few months. This is why Tenuta Carlini has chosen the Classic Method and promotes responsible drinking!