> From harvest to disgorgement: the steps of the champagne method that give champagne its bubbles, explained simply.

*Source : https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/comment-est-fait-le-champagne/*

---

Champagne wine tourism · Reims — Épernay — Côte des Bar Book your tours & tastings

[Home](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/) › [Understanding Champagne](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/comprendre-le-champagne/) › How champagne is made: the traditional method explained

Understand

# How champagne is made: the traditional method explained

Published on October 15, 2025 · The editorial team

![How champagne is made: the traditional method explained](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/images/articles/comment-est-fait-le-champagne.webp)

Why does champagne sparkle? Because it undergoes a **second fermentation in the bottle**. Here are the main steps of the **traditional method** (also known as the “méthode champenoise”), jargon-free.

## 1\. The harvest

The grapes — chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier (see [the grape varieties of champagne](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/cepages-champagne/)) — are picked **by hand** and gently pressed to extract a clear juice.

## 2\. The first fermentation

The juice ferments and turns into a **still wine**, dry and acidic: the “base wine”. At this stage, there are no bubbles yet.

## 3\. The blending

This is the key moment for style: the cellar master **blends** different crus, grape varieties and sometimes vintages (using _reserve wines_) to create the cuvée that will become the house’s signature.

## 4\. Bottling and the second fermentation

The wine is bottled together with a **tirage liqueur** (wine + sugar + yeast). A **second fermentation** then begins _inside the bottle_: the yeast converts the sugar into alcohol and **carbon dioxide** which, trapped inside, forms the bubbles. This is the _prise de mousse_, or foaming.

## 5\. Ageing on the lees

The bottles rest horizontally in the cellar for a minimum of **15 months** (and **3 years** for a vintage). The dead yeast cells break down (a process called **autolysis**) and give rise to the famous aromas of **brioche and toasted bread**.

## 6\. Riddling

The yeast deposit then has to be gathered into the neck of the bottle. This is **riddling**, once done by hand on _pupitres_ (riddling racks) and today often automated with a gyropalette.

## 7\. Disgorgement and dosage

The neck is frozen, the plug of frozen deposit is expelled (**disgorgement**), and then the **dosage liqueur** is added (the **dosage**) which determines the final style: from **brut nature** (no sugar) to demi-sec. The bottle is finally corked and wired.

## The result

This long process — much easier to understand when you see it for yourself — explains the price and complexity of champagne. All of these terms are gathered in our [glossary](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/glossaire/). And to experience it for real, nothing beats a [cellar tour](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/visite-cave-champagne/).

Read next

## In the same topic

[![Crémant or Champagne: What's the Difference (and When to Choose Which)?](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/images/articles/cremant-ou-champagne.webp)

comprendre le champagne

### Crémant or Champagne: What's the Difference (and When to Choose Which)?

Crémant and Champagne: same method, different terroir and rules. Understand what sets them apart and which to choose depending on the occasion and budget.

](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/cremant-ou-champagne/)[![Blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, rosé: reading a champagne through its grapes](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/images/articles/cepages-champagne.webp)

comprendre le champagne

### Blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, rosé: reading a champagne through its grapes

Blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, assemblage, rosé: what these terms reveal about the grape varieties, colour and style of a champagne, and how to choose.

](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/blanc-de-blancs-blanc-de-noirs/)[![Brut, extra-brut, brut nature, sec, demi-sec: champagne dosage explained](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/images/articles/comment-est-fait-le-champagne.webp)

comprendre le champagne

### Brut, extra-brut, brut nature, sec, demi-sec: champagne dosage explained

Brut, extra-brut, brut nature, sec, demi-sec, doux: what these terms mean, how much sugar they contain, and which champagne to choose for the occasion.

](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/dosage-champagne-brut-extra-brut-sec/)