🍷 Charmat method

The Charmat method is a way of making sparkling wine in which the second fermentation takes place in a large closed tank rather than in the bottle. It is named after the French engineer Eugène Charmat.

First an ordinary still wine is made. Then it is placed in a sealed tank, and sugar and yeast are added. Fermentation lasts from a few weeks. The carbon dioxide stays in the wine and forms the bubbles. The wine is then chilled, filtered and bottled under pressure. The result is fresh and fruity, and the method is cheaper than bottle fermentation.

This is how Prosecco is made in the Prosecco hills of Italy, along with many other sparkling wines. The method is similar to the Asti method, though not identical, and to the transfer and continuous methods. It is used in Italy, France and other countries. Charmat sparkling wine is usually drunk young.