II.4.1.1 Base wine

Definition:

Wine destined for the production of a sparkling wine.

Prescriptions :

a)        The oenological treatments and practices of this International Code of Oenological Practices are applicable by analogy, except for the addition of ascorbic acid, sorbic acid and metatartaric acid.

b)       Base wines destined for secondary fermentation shall be clarified by the usual processes, taking care to avoid all oxidation,

c)        The volatile acidity of the base wine must always be low,

d)       The sulphur dioxide content of the base wine must be low,

e)       For the continuous method :

Just before secondary fermentation, the base wine, with no added sugar, is submitted to a biological de-oxygenation by addition of a selected yeast culture and leaving protected from oxygen for 24 to 48 hours.

f)         The base wine must comply with the definition of wine in the present International Code of Oenological Practices.