Winemaking
Riddling and disgorgement
Getting the sediment out of a bottle that is already under six atmospheres of pressure.
Overview
After the second fermentation, dead yeast sits in the bottle. Riddling gradually tilts and turns bottles so it collects in the neck.
The neck is then frozen, the crown cap removed, and the bottle’s own pressure ejects the frozen plug. The bottle is topped up with dosage and corked.
A disgorgement date on the label tells you how long the wine has been in contact with air since — genuinely useful information for judging freshness.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Comité Champagne — Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne
More in winemaking
Winemaking
Fermentation
Yeast converting sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide — the step that makes wine wine.
Winemaking
How red wine is made
Fermenting grape juice in contact with the skins, which is where colour and tannin come from.
Winemaking
How white wine is made
Pressing the juice off the skins before fermentation, then fermenting the clear juice.