Bottling Champagne 106

privates, I am a little confused by your terminology, was the secondary fermentation an actual re-ferment of sugar or is the pressure the result of added CO2?

Carbonated wine (a still wine that has been pressurized by CO2) doesn't come close to tasting like a good sparkler. You need the interaction of the lees breaking down over time in addition to the high pressure to round it all out. 2 months is not a long time.

If self carbonated what it sounds like you are actually making is a petillant wine with the Charmat method if I follow you. I think you have several things working against you. If this is a counter-pressure system that is great, but that pressure is too low to start for a sparkler.

I go for 90 PSIG and ferment in the bottle. All true sparklers are made that way. (Use the correct bottles and measure the sugar carefully, it's a hand grenade.) I freeze the neck to disgorge, it's not as hard as it sounds. (I did screw up the first ten bottles or so but you develop a technique with experience, you get to drink your mistakes.) I still lose some pressure but I have a lot more to start with. If you want the bubbles to be fine and last quite a long time you need both the pressure and some time on the lees, it really softens to wine. You can always just start this one over if you want to try that, It's just sugar and a packet of yeast..

Trying to get it from the keg to the bottle is a very difficult proposition. I'm not sure how you will be able to keep the pressure up and really have no good advice, sorry. You have already done the things i would suggest. That said petillant wines are great and rarely made or sourced into the USA. If you like this one the way it is, maybe just make another batch the old fashioned way. I am certain you will like the results. I have a least 100 bottles of sparkling Seyval in process at one time or another and it is well liked.

Joe

.=2E. The method I'm