🍷 Lees

Lees are the layer left at the bottom of a vessel after fermentation. It is mostly dead yeast cells and fine particles of grape. The French call it lie, and wine that rests on it for a long time is called "sur lie".

Lees are not harmful. On the contrary, during ageing they give the wine substances that make the taste round, soft and slightly creamy, and add a note of bread and nuts. They also protect wine from oxidation, because they absorb oxygen.

To build a richer taste, the lees are sometimes stirred. This is called bâtonnage. In a concrete egg the lees circulate on their own because of the shape of the vessel.

When the wine is ready, it is taken off the lees: in racking the clear wine is pumped to another vessel. Sediment can also form in bottles, and then the wine is poured into a decanter, leaving the haze at the bottom of the bottle.