Riddle Me This…How Do You Make Champagne?
Hint: This Antique Rack from Vintage at Heart
You read about Lisa Johnson and her giving new life to retired wine barrels a couple of weeks ago.
Well, guess what else she’s got in her workshop? Antique riddlers from France. No….these aren’t old guys sitting in a cafe with a glass of absinthe telling knock-knock jokes. They’re an integral part of the champagne-making process.
First of all, Champagne is a region, not a grape. There are three grapes used in champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Wines from the three grape varieties are produced separately , then they are blended together and placed in the champagne bottle, where sugar and yeast are added. Then a process called Reumage uses the riddling racks to get the sediment out of the bottle, The bottles are inserted into the racksat a 45 degree angle, then twisted and lifted over time, so that finally all of the sediment is in the neck of the bottle. The neck is then frozen, and the ice plug pops out with the sediment in it. A little sugar is added, along with cognac, maybe some still wine according to the winemaker’s secret recipe, and voila! Happy New Year!
Never seen the Riddler? Lisa’s lent us one that we’ve got on display. Come on down to check it out, and you might just want to take it home (a steal at $900!) Also available: Lazy Susans ($119.99), Bread Trays (#39..99), Appetizer Trays ($35.99).