Murray's Cyder LLC

Méthode Champenoise is the traditional French technique for making fine champagne that’s also used by the best US producers of sparkling wines. Basically as follows:

Primary Fermentation. The juice (in our case apple juice from Sebastopol area organic orchards) is completely fermented in large tanks. In this step the yeast converts the natural sugars of the juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2 – which escapes into the air).
Bottling. The fermented juice is mixed with pure cane sugar and more yeast and bottled in champagne type bottles that are designed to withstand high pressure inside. The bottles are sealed with metal caps.
Tirage.
The bottles lie on their side for at least 1 year. During this time the yeast converts the cane sugar into more alcohol and more CO2, which is now trapped inside. When this second fermentation is complete, the yeast dies and forms a sediment known as "lees".


Riddling.
This part of the process collects the lees into the neck of the bottle. The bottles are moved to a "pupitre" or Riddling rack where they start off near horizontal and are gradually rotated back and forth as they are also tilted up. Eventually the bottle is almost vertical (upside down) with the lees in the neck.
Disgorging. The first inch of the neck of the bottle is immersed in a very cold liquid until the lees are trapped in a plug of ice. When the metal cap is removed, the pressure of the CO2 in the bottle forces this ice plug out.
Dosage. The product is now very dry. Often it is balanced by addition of the "liqueur d’expedition" whose essential purpose is to sweeten. The quantity of "liqueur d’expedition" determines the classification – Brut being the driest.
Finishing. The traditional champagne cork is inserted and held in place with the wire cage, and finally the label and foil are applied.