The classification: A "liqueur de dosage", a mixture of wine and sugar, is added to replace the small quantity of liquid lost during the "degorgement" process. The amount of sugar added determines how the champagne is classified: little or no sugar and the champagne is "Ultra Brut". Less than fourteen grams of sugar per litre and the champagne qualifies as "Brut". The house of Meunier upholds the skill and care required in this age-old process and so produces some of Europe’s finest champagne.

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The intricacity: A sediment or "deport" is also produced by this process and this is removed in two stages. The first stage of the process, in which the ‘deport’ is moved into the neck of the bottle, is called "reumage". This is followed by a second stage called ‘dégorgement’ in which the bottle is opened to remove the "deport".

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The bubbles: The transformation from a still wine into exquisite sparkling champagne is a long and intricate process. The wine must age to a satisfactory state before it is bottled. After bottling, a mixture of sugar and yeast, named "liquer de tirage", is added and this causes the second stage of fermentation. The refreshing champagne bubbles, or "pris de mousse", are formed as a by-product of the fermentation process.