Riddling, also known as disgorging, is a technique used in the
wine-making process to remove the sediment that forms in the bottle during secondary
fermentation. This process is primarily used in making sparkling wines like Champagne, but it can also be used in other styles of wine.
During secondary
fermentation, yeast is added to the wine in the bottle to create carbon dioxide, which produces the bubbles in sparkling wine. As the yeast consumes the sugar in the wine, it creates sediment that settles at the bottom of the bottle.
To remove this sediment,
winemakers use the riddling technique. The first step is to place the wine bottles in a traditional riddling rack, which is a wooden frame with holes that hold the necks of the bottles at a 45-degree angle. The bottles are then gradually rotated and tilted, increasing the angle over time, until they are upside down. This process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
The purpose of riddling is to move the sediment towards the neck of the bottle. Once the sediment is concentrated in the neck, it can be removed through disgorging. At this point, the wine bottles are frozen upside down, allowing the sediment to freeze into a solid plug. The crown cap is then removed, and the pressure in the bottle forces the frozen sediment plug out. The bottle is then topped up with a small amount of wine before being corked and caged.
Riddling and disgorging are critical steps in the production of high-quality sparkling wines. The process ensures that the wine is free from sediment, resulting in a clear, bright, and consistent appearance in the final product. It is also an essential step in controlling the level of sweetness in the wine. After disgorging, the wine can be topped up with a dosage, which is a combination of sugar and wine added to adjust the sweetness level.
Wine-making