Cork and wire cage

The cork

The UMC describes the sparkling-wine cork as an agglomerated cork body with discs of natural cork on the end that touches the wine. When it is driven into the bottle it is compressed to about half its diameter.² What happens when a cork leaves the bottle is covered in the flight of the cork.

The muselet

The muselet is a wire cage that holds the cork in place against the pressure in the bottle. It has a metal cap on top, often showing the producer's name.^2,1 In Russian it is called мюзле. How to remove it safely is explained in opening a bottle.

Shaking and inspection

After corking the bottle is shaken, a step called poignettage, to mix the wine and the dosage liqueur.¹ Each bottle is then inspected (mirage) and returned to the cellar for a few more months.¹ The cork and cage have to hold the pressure of about 6 bar at 20 °C created by the second fermentation.^4,5

The rule in Champagne

Champagne bottles must be closed with a cork bearing the appellation name, held by an attachment such as the wire cage.^3,1 The text read is an INAO draft under national opposition.

Previous step: dosage. Next: rest after disgorgement.