Jose wrote on Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:25:30 GMT:

??>> No. It describes the process of "transvasage". In
??>> Champagne, by law only bottles between 375ml (halves) and
??>> 3,000ml (jéroboams) have to be fermented in the same
??>> bottle;

J> Does it make a difference in the final product whether it is
J> fermented in the same bottle or not? Or is the point that
J> it has to be fermented in a small container rather than (as
J> in charmant) a huge one?

I know that all the bulk (Charmat) process stuff I have tried
was neither good nor worth retrying but I wonder if it has to be
that way? Has anyone done any experiments? The champagne made in
New York state by Great Western was bottle fermented but was
filtered under pressure and the contents of several bottles
mixed before rebottling. Is that transvasage?

I have pleasant memories of group tours of the champagne
wineries (with a necessary designated driver) when I was at
Cornell many years ago.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not