Learn the Process
HOW UKRAINE’S ARTWINERY MAKES SUPERIOR BUBBLY
Every bottle of Artwine is crafted in nearly three million square feet of tunnels up to 250 feet below the earth using an intricate process called Méthode Traditionnelle—the same time-honored approach used to make French Champagnes.
Grapes
Selected grapes are the basis of Artwinery’s sparkling wines. Grown in the fertile soils of southern Ukraine, in the sunny climate of Odesa, Kherson and Mykolayiv regions, the grapes produce wines with rich flavors and multifaceted bouquets.
The profile of each wine from the Artwinery collection depends on the coupage – the combination of traditional European grape varietals in special proportions:
• For White – Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Aligoté, and Riesling
• For Rosé - Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon
• For Ruby – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Saperavi
Production
Artwinery’s production is the largest in Eastern Europe and the only in Ukraine where sparkling wines are created solely according to the highly regarded Méthode Traditionnelle: second fermentation of the wine and its resultant bubble saturation is carried out naturally in the bottle.
The winery occupies over 100 acres – 60% of it in caves 236 feet underground. These former gypsum mines maintain perfect year-round humidity and temperatures between 55 and 57 degrees, just like in Champagne, France.
Technology
Secondary Fermentation & Aging
Secondary fermentation happens during the first month. Yeast creates bubbles naturally in the bottle. The longer the bottles of wine stay in the underground aging facilities, the more expressive and richer the taste becomes. Artwinery’s sparkling wines age a minimum of 9 months, and, for some special wines, aging lasts 72 months.
During the months of aging, each bottle is repeatedly moved and shaken by hand.
Technology
Remuage, Dosage, Corking
While the wine is aging, a natural deposit is created in each bottle – this is the yeast itself, which started the process of secondary fermentation and helped the wine to become sparkling. To get rid of it, we need the next process – remuage (riddling). Remuage is carried out by special master riddlers. Such professionals turn the bottles of aged wine over at an angle of 45° manually.
For several months, they rotate each bottle by hand every day, lightly tapping them on the edges of the holding stands and tilting them into vertical position. There is no need to hurry. It is important to make sure that the sediment collects itself on the temporary cork, and none is left on the walls of the bottle.
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Disgorging, Dosage, Corking
The bottles of wine are then dipped upside down in a -13 ° F solution, freezing the lees. The temporary cork is removed, and the lees flow out under pressure. During dosage, the sparkling wine is finished with a liqueur, which will determine the wine’s ultimate style and personality, from a brut nature to a lightly sweet demi-sec. Finally, the bottles are corked with natural, renewable cork from Portugal, put to rest for a few weeks, before being wired and labeled
Technology
Final Packaging
To make the appearance of each bottle as elegant and refined as its contents, Artwinery pays great attention to the finishing stage, inviting leading designers to develop visually impactful packaging.
With the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union, Artwinery has turned to packaging designs that incorporate authentic Ukrainian elements. Future labeling will include design elements that celebrate Ukrainian bravery in the face of its invaders.
