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Secondary Fermentation

A second alcohol fermentation by yeast performed in a champagne bottle secured with a special, hollow closure secured with a wire "cage," the purpose of which is to trap the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation and force it to be absorbed into the wine, or a bacterial fermentation called malolactic fermentation. The result is a Sparkling Wine. This secondary fermentation can actually be a continuation of the fermentation by the original yeast inoculation or can be induced at bottling time by inoculating a sweetened still wine with a second yeast especially adept at fermenting under pressure. It is NOT correct to refer to the alcohol fermentation in a secondary fermentation vessel (e.g. a carboy) as a secondary fermentation although novices to the hobby often do. See Primary Fermentation for contrast. However, a malolactic fermentation is correctly a secondary fermentation.

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