Lees Aging & Dosage

How long does Crémant de Bourgogne rest on the lees, whether in Rully or the Châtillonnais? At least nine months, as stated in the specifications, counted from the tirage. But it may only be sold twelve months after that date. The three months in between are a waiting period after disgorgement, during which the wine settles after the process.

On the lees, the wine changes slowly. The spent yeast cells break down and release compounds that give Crémant notes of brioche, nuts and a creamy richness. This process is called yeast autolysis. It begins after a few months and continues over years, which is why longer lees aging often tastes rounder and breadier than the minimum would suggest.

After that, the yeast has to come out of the bottle. During riddling, it's moved from the bottom up to the neck of the bottle, traditionally by hand on riddling racks, though today often done much faster using gyropalettes. The neck is then deep-frozen so the yeast forms a solid plug. During disgorgement, the pressure shoots this plug out of the bottle.

The bottle is then topped up with the dosage liqueur, a mixture of wine and a little sugar that replaces what was lost. For Crémant, EU rules set a limit of under 50 grams of sugar per liter. Sweetness levels range from Brut nature with under 3 grams, through Extra Brut and Brut with under 12 grams, up to Demi-sec with 32 to 50 grams.

In Burgundy, Crémant is mostly enjoyed Brut, since the cool sites bring so much natural acidity that the wine doesn't need sugar to stay in balance. Those who try Brut nature taste the acidity unadorned, while in Brut the dosage adds just a touch of roundness.