Which term describes the traditional method of sparkling wine production characterized by in-bottle secondary fermentation and aging on lees?

• A. Méthode Champenoise.
• B. Charmat method.
• C. Bulk fermentation.
• D. Carbonation.

Answer: (A)

The technique described is the traditional method where the second fermentation happens inside the bottle and the wine spends time aging on its lees. In this approach, a base wine is bottled with a small amount of sugar and yeast to trigger a second fermentation in the bottle. The resulting carbon dioxide is trapped, creating the characteristic bubbles. Aging on the lees—left with the dead yeast cells—adds autolytic flavors like bread dough, brioche, and a creamy texture, contributing complexity and finesse to the wine. This method is distinct from the Charmat method, which does the second fermentation in a tank, producing a different style of bubble and flavor profile, and from carbonation, which injects CO2 without a bottle-fermentation process. Because the bubbles come from in-bottle fermentation and the wine ages on lees, the traditional term for this process is Méthode Champenoise.