Producing sparkling wine is an art that requires precision, patience, and the right tools. From base wine preparation to tirage and final clarification, each step demands careful attention to ensure brilliance, stability, and elegance in every bottle.
Here are our top technical tips for sparkling wine production, along with recommended products to help streamline your process and elevate quality.
1. Prepare for Easy Riddling – Support Effective Sediment Removal
One of the key challenges in traditional method sparkling wine is achieving a compact, mobile deposit that can be efficiently riddled (remuage). Without proper preparation, yeast sediment can become too dispersed or stick to the bottle, making riddling difficult and time-consuming.
Tip: Use Adjuvant 92 or Adjuvant 83 to optimise sediment management and ensure smooth riddling.
- Adjuvant 92 is ideal for producers seeking fast, efficient riddling, forming a firm yet mobile deposit that responds well to mechanical or manual remuage.
- Adjuvant 83 offers a softer approach, suited to more delicate wines or longer maturation periods where a gentler action is preferred but effective riddling is still crucial.
Both agents work in the bottle during secondary fermentation, helping to form a cohesive lees deposit that can be moved easily to the neck for disgorgement — saving time and reducing wine losses.
2. Prepare for a Smooth Tirage – Control the Fermentation Process
Once your base wine is ready, tirage preparation becomes the next key step — ensuring a controlled and stable secondary fermentation. One of the biggest challenges is managing sediment and achieving a fine bubble structure.
Tip: Incorporate Clar T Tirage, a specialised fining agent designed specifically for tirage wines.
- It helps to stabilise the wine, prevent haze, and manage fine sediment, supporting a uniform, well-integrated secondary fermentation.
- Crucially, it allows for a compact, easy-to-remove deposit during disgorgement — saving time and preserving wine integrity.
3. Prioritise Pre-Bottling Stabilisation – Focus on Clarity and Balance
Pre-bottling treatments are vital to ensure your sparkling wine is free from colloidal instability, off-flavours, and visual defects. The right clarification tool will enhance brilliance, reduce bitterness, and improve final balance.
Tip: Use Complexe A.N. an advanced, multi-function fining agent designed for sparkling wines.
- It works to remove unwanted colloids and phenolics, which can affect the stability and taste of your wine.
- Complexe A.N. also supports the development of a smooth, clean palate, enhancing the overall sensory profile — an important finishing touch before bottling.
4. Think Ahead – Plan for Process Consistency
Consistency in sparkling wine production comes from anticipating challenges and using tools that simplify the process without sacrificing quality. Regularly reviewing your clarification and fining strategy helps manage vintage variability, yeast sedimentation, and stability issues.
Tip: Work closely with your suppliers to review dosage rates, base wine specs, and process adjustments for each batch.
Recommended Products Recap
- Adjuvant 92 or 83 – For efficient, tailored clarification of base wines.
- Clar T Tirage – To prepare a stable, well-clarified wine ready for secondary fermentation.
- Complexe A.N. – For final polishing, colloidal stability, and sensory improvement pre-bottling.
Need advice on selecting the right products or dosages for your sparkling wine?
Get in touch with our technical team, we’re ready to help you refine every step of your production.