RELATIONSHIPS
Cape Classic: the process of bubbles and lees: comparative perspective
Read geography, grape resources, and production processes separately.
Secondary fermentation
Retain carbon dioxide in the bottle.
Aging on the lees
Distinguish the minimum 12 months from individual aging results.
Finishing
Lees removed—verify the residual sugar style.
This is a schematic diagram summarizing the main text. It does not represent production areas or quality rankings. Sources and reference materials
FIELD NOTE 01
Second fermentation in the same bottle.
Sugar and yeast are added to the base wine, and then it undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle. The resulting carbon dioxide is retained in the bottle to create bubbles, and then the wine is matured on its lees. The association’s materials explain the system whereby the fermented bottles are released to the market, and minimum pressure of 3 bar.
FIELD NOTE 02
From 9 months to 12 months
According to the association's 2021 materials, the minimum legal lees aging was 12 months starting that year; previously it was 9 months. Avoid using older study materials as-is. Some producers age for longer; read minimum standards and individual wines’ performance separately.
FIELD NOTE 03
Distinguish between lees and sugar
After lees removal and dosage, the final style is achieved. The length of lees aging and residual sweetness/dryness are independent factors. In the 2025 association competition, categories are established separately for white grape composition, rosé, lees aging period, and residual sugar. It is also important not to equate these categories with national legal grades.
This does not mean that. Lees aging and final residual sugar are separate pieces of information.
PAUSE & REFLECT
Check your understanding.
Does extended lees aging mean it is sweet?
Read the explanation ＋
This does not mean that. Lees aging and final residual sugar are separate pieces of information.
Write in your own words
Write what you have learned, your reasoning, and what you still need to confirm.
Maximum 5,000 characters. This is stored within this browser. Press "Save" to record your note. Saving a blank will delete this note.
View saved notes →Sources and reference materials
These are the reference materials for the main text. For details of production regulations, consult the current documents. For individual wine specifications, refer to materials for the relevant vintage.
- Cap Classique Producers Association: 2021 reference materials ↗
- Cap Classique Producers Association: 2025 category regulations ↗