Disgorgement: Impacting Champagne's Aroma And Flavor Profile

The process of disgorgement in winemaking involves removing the deposit of sediment that forms during fermentation, which would otherwise result in a cloudy wine. This technique is crucial as it is the first time in months that the wine comes into contact with oxygen, enhancing its aromatic personality. The process involves coaxing the sediment to the neck of the bottle, forming a frozen plug, and then quickly opening the bottle to expel the plug and a small amount of wine. The wine's convalescence after disgorgement is essential, with the duration depending on the wine's age.

Oxygen enters the bottle during disgorgement, enhancing the wine's aroma

Disgorgement is a crucial step in the winemaking process, especially for Champagne. It involves removing the deposit or sediment that forms as a result of fermentation in the bottle. This step is necessary to ensure the wine is crystal clear when served. The process of disgorgement can be done by hand or through mechanized processes, with the former being more traditional and the latter offering more precision and consistency.

During disgorgement, the bottle is opened, and a small amount of wine is forced out, taking the sediment with it. This is a significant moment for the wine as it comes into contact with outside air for the first time in months. Oxygen enters the bottle at this stage, and this oxygen plays a crucial role in enhancing the wine's aroma. The oxygen will trigger a process called micro-oxidation, a very slow and natural phenomenon.

Micro-oxidation occurs when a small amount of oxygen comes into contact with the wine during disgorgement. This process gives rise to the development of new and complex aromas in the wine. The oxygen helps to enhance the wine's aromatic personality, adding depth and nuance to its bouquet. This process is essential in the evolution of the wine's aroma, contributing to the unique characteristics of Champagne.

The impact of oxygen on the wine's aroma is so significant that even the method of disgorgement can affect the final product. For example, large bottles and certain remarkable cuvées are still disgorged by hand, as it is believed that the more delicate process preserves the wine's qualities. The traditional method, known as "à la volée," involves the cellar worker opening the bottle neck-down and quickly standing it upright while controlling the amount of wine that escapes with their thumb.

After disgorgement, the wine enters a period of convalescence, or rest, to allow it to recover and regain balance. The length of this rest period depends on the age and type of wine, with younger wines requiring less time than older ones. This process is necessary to ensure the wine's freshness and softness before it is corked and continues its ageing journey.

Dosage, the addition of sugar, affects the wine's aroma

Dosage is a blend of wine and sugar or simply grape must. The type of wine, sugar, and must, as well as the option to include other additives, creates a seemingly endless list of choices. The addition of sugar will change how the wine's flavours are perceived. While the goal of the sugar addition is not to impart flavour, it will change how the wine's flavours are perceived.

The type of sugar and the amount used will have an impact on the final wine. Winemakers can use cane sugar, beet sugar, grape must, concentrated grape juice, or a mixture of these ingredients. Cane sugar is widely used as it is cheap, readily available, and has a good sweetness perception. Beet sugar, on the other hand, is locally grown and also made of sucrose. It gives a finer texture and tone to the wine, although the difference is hard to spot if the two types of sugar are not tasted side by side.

The wine used in the dosage can also create a dramatic difference in the flavour profile. It can be the same wine as that being disgorged, another sparkling wine from the cellar, oaked or unoaked still wine, or wines aged in stainless steel or oak barrels. Winemakers can also use red wine in their dosage to create a sparkling rosé wine or even brandy, a historical practice to correct alcohol levels.

The amount of sugar in the final wine is irrelevant. It is not about making a wine sweeter but rather enhancing other components and flavours in the wine. Dosage is about balance and harmony, enhancing and amplifying flavour, thereby making a wine more expressive and complete.

The wine's aroma evolves after disgorgement

The process of disgorgement is a crucial moment in the life of a bottle of wine or Champagne. It is when the wine undergoes a sort of trauma, as would a patient who undergoes a medical operation. After disgorgement, the wine requires a period of convalescence, or rest, to recover a balance between freshness and softness. The length of this period depends on the age of the wine, with older wines needing more time than younger ones.

During the convalescence period, the wine's aroma evolves as it comes into contact with oxygen for the first time in months. This oxygen will help to enhance the wine's aromatic personality and give rise to micro-oxidation, a very slow and natural phenomenon. The wine's evolution is also influenced by the addition of a few grams of sugar, or dosage, before the bottle is corked. This sugar will cause a micro maderisation, which will further impact the wine's aroma.

The combination of micro-oxidation and micro-maderisation will characterise the wine's evolution after disgorgement. The aromatic, visual, and taste evolution can be classified into five steps. The first step is dominated by fruit aromas, such as citrus and red fruits, with a very pale colour and fine effervescence. In the second step, floral aromas like white flowers and roses become dominant, while the effervescence becomes smoother.

The third period is characterised by spiced notes and nuts, like almonds and hazelnuts, followed by notes of baked bread in the fourth period. In the final step, the wine evolves towards notes of candied fruit, gingerbread, honey, and roasted aromas. The speed at which the wine progresses through these stages depends on the ageing conditions, with a minimum of four to five years usually needed to reach the first spicy aromas.

The wine's aroma is classified into five steps

The aroma of a wine is a complex interplay of volatile and non-volatile compounds, which can be classified into five steps or stages. These steps describe the evolution of a wine's aroma over time, from fruit and floral notes to more complex spicy and toasted aromas.

The first step is dominated by fruit aromas, particularly citrus and red fruits, with a very pale colour and lively effervescence. This is the "fruit stage".

The second step is characterised by floral aromas, such as white flowers and roses, while the colour remains pale and the effervescence becomes smoother.

The third step is known as the "age of spices" and is marked by the emergence of spiced notes and nuts, like almonds and hazelnuts.

In the fourth step, notes of baked bread develop, giving way to the "toasted period".

Finally, in the fifth step, the wine evolves towards notes of candied fruit, gingerbread, honey, and roasted aromas, reaching the "candied fruit stage" or the stage of "fullness/richness".

The time taken to progress through these stages depends on various factors, including the ageing conditions and the natural tendencies of the grape varieties. For example, Chardonnay grapes are known for their high acidity and citrus notes, while Pinot Noir grapes offer notes of red berries that evolve into black fruits and spicy notes over time.

The process of disgorgement, where the deposit formed during fermentation is removed, can also impact the aroma of a wine. During disgorgement, a small amount of oxygen enters the bottle, leading to micro-oxidation, which influences the wine's evolution. However, the direct impact of disgorgement on aroma is not explicitly mentioned in the sources provided.

The wine's aroma is influenced by the ageing conditions

The process of disgorgement is a crucial moment in the life of a bottle of wine or champagne, as it is the first time in months that the wine will come into contact with the outside air. The oxygen that enters the bottle at this stage will help to enhance the wine's aroma. However, the impact of disgorgement on the aroma of the wine is not immediate and is part of a longer ageing process.

During the disgorgement process, the deposit that forms as a result of fermentation in the bottle is removed. This is done by coaxing the deposit to the neck of the bottle, which can take anywhere from eight days to five weeks. This process is called remuage. Once the deposit is concentrated against the cork, it can be removed by quickly opening the bottle and allowing the pressure built up inside to expel the plug of sediment.

After disgorgement, the wine undergoes a sort of trauma, and a period of convalescence is required for the wine to recover its balance. This period can vary depending on the age of the wine, with older wines needing more time to rest. During this time, micro-oxidation occurs, which is a very slow and natural phenomenon. Before disgorgement, there is no oxygen in the bottle, as it has all been used up during fermentation and transformed into carbonic gas. However, once the bottle is opened during disgorgement, a tiny amount of oxygen enters, initiating the process of micro-oxidation.

The ageing conditions of the wine will influence the evolution of its aroma. Depending on the conditions, the maturation process can occur more or less rapidly. While some wines may take as little as four to five years to reach the first spicy aromas, others may need much longer. The natural tendencies of the grape varieties also play a role in the development of the wine's aroma. For example, the Chardonnay grape is known for its high acidity and citrus notes, which evolve into grapefruit, orange, and candied peel with age. On the other hand, the Pinot Noir grape typically exhibits notes of red berries in its youth, but these evolve into black fruits and spicy notes over time.

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