Technology

Due to its sparkling properties, champagne is much lighter than other types of wines. It has both, organoleptic characteristics, as well as disadvantages. Therefore, the raw material used for this wine production must be of high quality. The quality of grapes is crucial in this sense.

The sparkling wine is made only of grape varieties recommended for this kind of wine, which is grown in special soil and climate conditions. They are as follows: Pinot Noir, Pinot White, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Traminer, Sauvignon, Sylvaner, Riesling, Aligoté.

“BulgariWinery” Company is currently one of the leading companies on the sparkling one markets of the country. Today, the company produces more than 15 brands of champagne, as well as still wines.

In Moldova, the champagne production is the most important segment of the wine industry. The champagne is produced via two technological methods — bottle and reservoir. This is due to Moldovan winemakers’ basic researches carried out in this area. As a result, champagne production has been reorganized — the technological process is based on scientific researches. Champagne production currently follows an independent path and opens ways for the development of national industry.

All these methods of champagne production combine the wine saturation method with “natural” carbon dioxide as a result of secondary fermentation in sealed containers (bottles or large containers — acratophore) under pressure. Regardless of how champagne is made, the sparkling properties of the product are obtained from supersaturation of carbon dioxide in the process of secondary fermentation of blends in sealed containers under excess pressure. As a result, while under secondary fermentation, some part of the “natural” carbon dioxide interacts with wine components and the champagne gathers some “linked” carbon dioxide. High “sparkling” quality of sparkling wines, characterized by foam and sparkling properties mainly depends not on the absorbed carbon dioxide, but on the number of linked CO2 forms causing a longer play due to their slow disintegration at the opening of the bottle. The formation of different links of CO2 with other wine components occurs in the process of secondary fermentation under pressure as a result of biochemical reactions. Yeasts play the role of catalysts in this case.

Among the great variety of products, champagne has a special place — it is an extremely light and soft drink. Thanks to its sparkling properties, compared to other wines, champagne has both, organoleptic advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the raw materials champagne is made of must be of high quality. The factory uses wine materials exclusively made of grapes grown specially for champagne production such as: Chardonnay, Pinot group, Riesling, Aligote, Sauvignon, Traminer and other types, recommended to be used for champagne production.

Every raw material is processed. Thus, wine extra microflora, unnecessary proteins, tartaric acid and heavy metal compounds are removed from the wine, and the redox potential is decreased.

As soon as the wine material has been processed, the blend is made. Much attention is paid in this case to the organoleptic characteristics of wine. One of the techniques used at the factory is the introduction of high-quality aged wine in the blend — it helps to significantly improve the quality of the blend. The ready blend is put to ageing, and only after a month of rest, it can be used for champagne. The technology and equipment for production of champagne through reservoir method in our country was made by Frolov-Bagreev, who was awarded a State Prize for these works in 1942. Thanks to this method of champagnization, the champagne changed from a drink accessible to the high aristocracy into a wine that every citizen of our country can afford.

At BulgariWinery, periodical reservoir method involves fermentation in 2.5 to 5 thousand decalitre large stainless steel and enameled devices. To improve the quality of reservoir champagne and formation of a soft bouquet and taste, the champagne is put to maturation based on yeast extracts for 1 to 6 months.