Vondeling Little Sparkle

The grapes were harvested in the early hours of the morning and crushed whole bunch to limit oxidation and phenolic extraction. The color remains bright and the aromas intact. After pressing, the juice was left to rest in stainless steel tanks for 48 hours before the clear juice was skimmed and a special neutral yeast was added that does not produce overly tropical flavors. This is essential to create a base wine suitable for sparkling wine production. Too many fruity aromas will make the wine less refreshing and the sparkling effect less subtle. Fermentation should be vigorous and at a warm temperature to promote mouthfeel and dampen fruity flavors. Fermentation continued for about two weeks, after which the wine remained on its lees for at least 7 months. During this time, the yeast cell walls break down through a process known as autolysis, which gives the wine a nice creaminess. Storage conditions were kept cool to encourage precipitation of some of the natural acidity and prevent any secondary malolactic fermentation. The wine was finally filtered to clarify it and ensure its sterility before being bottled at an internal pressure of 5.4 bar.