The techniques of sparkling winemaking did not originate with the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon, nor was the first purposely sparkling wine produced in the region of Champagne. Regardless, through centuries of refinement Champagne has become the world’s leading sparkling wine and the vinous embodiment of luxury and celebration.
The guide above currently includes the following text: “Champagne is bottled in a range of bottle sizes. The names of large bottles, from Jeroboam forward, have Biblical connotations. Bottle sizes larger than a Jeroboam and smaller than a half bottle may be filled by transversageor [sic] by the transfer method, from a tank or through the process of decanting multiple smaller bottles.” This is tricky as ‘transfer method’ might not be a legally defined term, but typically, as Victoria O'Bryan commented above, it typically refers to a process where the process of riddling and disgorgement is omitted and instead sediment is removed by clarification/filtration in tank [see, for example, the entry for ‘sparkling winemaking’ Oxford Companion to Wine (4th Edition) or ‘transfer method’ in Chapter 9 of Wine Science: Principles & Applications (5th edition) by Ronald S Jackson (Academic Press/Elsevier 2020)]. Champagne, however, requires disgorgement - “L’élimination des sous produits issus de la fermentation en bouteilles destinée à rendre le vin mousseux est effectuée par dégorgement.” (‘Section IX. ― Transformation, élaboration, élevage, conditionnement, stockage; Subsection 2° Dispositions par type de produit’ from the 2022 cahiers des charges) Opportunity for confusion here is rife, as the OCW definition for ‘transversage’ does not correspond with the OIV definition for ‘transvasage’, and other sources such as Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine by Tom Stevenson & Essi Avellan MW (Sterling Epicure 2014) use the transfer method and transvasage as synonyms. I pity the fool (and that would be me . . .) trying to make sense of all this.
Just to make sure we're all on the same page, there are still only 319 villages (communes) authorized to grow grapes for Champagne. The 357 number hasn't been finalized as there are a couple communes that are supposed to be deauthorized and they are fighting it. I confirmed on the CIVC's website it's still 319. When I last spoke with them they didn't have an ETA as to when all of this was going to get resolved. You can see my comments on the Compendium for a more detailed explanation.
Hey Victoria! The description is updated to feature Transversage. Thank you!
Transversage and transfer method are similar but not the same, and the description here conflates the two. While both are transferred to pressurized tank, transversage sees remuage and disgorgement whereas transfer method does not. As I understand it, transversage is used in bottling special sizes and not transfer method. Also spelling needs a quick fix.
Any updates on this front...? Came up in study group this week with a couple people having conflicting info whether or not its officially 357 now.