🥃 Lees
Also known as: wine lees, spent yeast
The sediment of dead yeast at the bottom of a cask after fermentation.
Lees is the sediment of dead yeast cells that settles at the bottom of a barrel or tank after fermentation. The sediment of dead yeast at the bottom of a barrel or tank after fermentation is called lees, in French "lies". Yeast turns sugar into alcohol, then dies and settles. Fine particles of grape pulp settle with it.
For wine, the sediment is not waste. If the wine is left on it for several months and stirred now and then, the yeast slowly breaks down and gives the wine proteins and slightly sweet substances. The wine becomes rounder and creamier and gets toasty, bready notes. This is called ageing on the lees. Many white wines are made so, including Chardonnay and Muscadet, and also Champagne.
Lees belong to the grape products, like tartrates. Other winemaking leftovers, such as pomace, stand near them.
After ageing, the wine is racked off the lees. Too long ageing on lees can give unpleasant smells, so the winemaker watches the taste.
How it connects to Wine
🥃 Lees → kind of → 🥃 Grape products → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- What is made from it
- 🥛 Milk-based and rare distillates, 🥃 Tsipouro of Thessaly, 🥃 Südtiroler Grappa, 🥃 Grappa piemontese, 🥃 Grappa della Valle d'Aosta, 🥃 Tsipouro of Macedonia, 🥃 Grappa siciliana, 🥃 Orujo de Galicia, 🥃 Grappa di Barolo, 🥃 Grappa trentina
- Part of
- 🥃 Grape products
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Lees ageing, 🍷 Tokaji Máslás, 🥃 Wine diamonds (tartrates)
- In other topics
- 🧀 Krasotiri Ko
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that lees are just waste at the bottom of the tank?
No. Left on the lees for several months and stirred now and then, wine gains proteins and slightly sweet substances and turns rounder and creamier.
Why do some wines taste toasty or bready?
That comes from ageing on the lees: the yeast slowly breaks down and leaves toasty, bready notes.
What do the French call lees?
“Lies”. It is the sediment of dead yeast that settles after fermentation.
What to read next
- 🥃 Chacha — Georgian grape marc spirit and Georgia's geographical indication No. 1 (2011): grapes from 10 zones of the country, at least 40% ABV, clear or straw-coloured.
- 🥃 Grappa trentina — Grappa from the province of Trento in Italy: distilled by 31 December of the harvest year, strength from 40 to 60% ABV, GI logo on the bottle; white, aged or herb-flavoured.
- 🥛 Milk-based and rare distillates — Hefebrand, beer spirit and Jerusalem artichoke spirit: from 38% ABV; Mongolian arkhi is distilled soured milk, not an EU category.
- 🧀 Krasotiri Ko — Krasotiri Ko is a soft PGI cheese from the island of Kos, of goat's or sheep's milk, matured in wine lees that turn its outside red.
- 🥃 Hefebrand — Hefebrand, or lees spirit, is distilled from the yeast lees of wine, beer or fermented fruit must: EU category 12, distillation below 86% vol., at least 38% ABV (76 proof) in the bottle.
Similar
🥃 Pomace · 🥃 Pomace brandy · 🥃 Ouzo · 🥃 Rakı · 🥃 Raisin · 🥃 Grape syrup
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.