By Emma Sanders 2012 Soljan’s Wine Estate Auckland

IT ALL BEGINS IN THE VINEYARD. ONLY CHARDONNAY AND PINOT NOIR GRAPES USED FOR PRODUCTION.

CHARDONNAY ARRIVES AUCKLAND WINERY AS JUICE (EX HAWKES BAY). INOCULATED WITH DV10 YEAST. FERMENTED AT 14-16 °C TO DRY. THEN MLF COMPLETED. BULK PINOT NOIR WINE IS PURCHASED AT A LATER DATE AND BLENDED WITH CHARDONNAY. POST BLENDING: COLD STABILISE BASE WINE, FINE AND FILTER.

DAY 1: REHYDRATE EC1118 YEAST. ADD SUGAR, BASE WINE, DAP, AERATION ON. DAY 2: BULKING UP YEAST (BASE WINE INTO STARTER CULTURE). ADD SUGAR TO BASE WINE TO REQUIRED RS. REHYDRATE ADJUVANT. DAY 3: ADD CULTURE, YEAST COUNT MIN 1.5 MILLION CELLS/ML.

ADD ADJUVANT PRIOR TO BOTTLING. PUMP IS SET UP TO BOTTLING LINE WITH A RETURN HOSE TO TANK TO ALLOW CONSTANT MIXING SO YEAST DOESN’T SETTLE.

BOTTLES AFTER BIDULES HAVE BEEN INSERTED.

CROWN SEALED BOTTLES.

Bottles are packed on their sides.The sugar added to the base wine is calculated to achieve 6.5 atm in the bottle. Bottles are aged on their lees up to 3 years.Currently 2009 Methode Traditionnelle on the market at Soljans (only released in May).

LEES ARE RIDDLED INTO THE NECK OF BOTTLE AFTER LEES AGING. DIFFERENT METHODS ARE USED BUT ALL FOLLOW THE SAME PRINCIPLE. BELOW, RACK IS SLIGHTLY TURNED AND TILTED ONCE A DAY.

TRADITIONAL RIDDLING RACK. RIDDLED BY HAND. BOTTLES GET A SLIGHT TURN, SHAKE AND THEN NECK TILTED DOWNWARDS ONCE A DAY. TAKES ABOUT 10-14 DAYS.

Getting ready for disgorging

After riddling, bottles are placed in bins (neck downwards).Bins are chilled to 3-5°C.

Whilst bottles are chilling, liqueur for dosage is made up in the lab. 625 g of sugar is dissolved in wine to make 1L. PMS added.

LOADING BOTTLES INTO NECK FREEZER NECK FREEZER SET AT -21°C

TAKING OFF THE CROWN SEAL AND REMOVING LEES

DOSAGE: WINE IS TOPPED WITH LIQUEUR

CORKING WIRE MUZZLING

CHILLED BOTTLES PACKED. ONCE 15°C, READY FOR LABELLING. ALL READY, CHEERS!

Making bubbles in the “bottle”.

Fermenting the base wine.

Making the starter culture and watching the yeast multiply.

Tasting the final product (2009 vintage, yummy!)