Wine disgorging: what it is and what it is used for

The article follows the traditional-method process from the addition of liqueur de tirage to the removal of fermentation sediment. The tirage mixture—based on sugar, minerals and yeast—initiates the second fermentation in bottle and creates the mousse. Remuage then guides the spent yeast into the bottle neck and the bidule beneath the crown cap.

Banfi Piemonte historically used manual remuage and dégorgement à la volée. Manual disgorgement remains reserved for special cuvées and unusual formats: the inverted bottle is opened by hand, internal pressure expels the sediment and the bottle is quickly righted to reduce wine loss.

The more common modern method is dégorgement à la glace. A saline medium freezes the bottle neck and sediment at −25°C to −30°C, allowing the frozen plug to be removed cleanly. The bottle can then be topped with dosage before receiving its cork and wire cage.