What are Lees in Winemaking?

A wine barrel with a clear end-cap shows the settled Fine Lees

I was recently hosting a wine tasting that involved a white wine. On the back label, it stated that the wine had been “Aged on lees.”  I was asked the obvious question “What are lees?”

In the broadest sense, “lees” refers to all the stuff that settles on the bottom of a wine fermentation or aging vessel (e.g., the tank or barrel). This “stuff” can include grape skin fragments, grape seeds, grape stems, pieces if grape leaves and, after fermentation, dead yeast. 

This collection of “stuff” is generally referred to as the “Gross Lees.” Not exactly because it might be considered ‘gross’ in its consistency, but because it is not the collection of stuff that you want your wine to be aged on. These items can to lead to some rather offense odors and flavors in a wine.

Wine makers generally “rack off” their wine (transfer it) to a fresh vessel or barrel that leaves behind the really chunky stuff and only moves the fermented wine, along with a bunch of dead yeast cells that don’t readily settle and remain mixed in with the newly fermented wine.  With aging, the dead yeast cells do settle to the bottom of the tank or barrel (see image).

When a wine is “Aged on Lees,” this contact with the dead yeast cell is allowed to continue throughout the aging process or until the wine maker determines they’ve achieved the desired wine characteristic. Wine makers even encourage the wine’s contact with the dead yeast cells, or “Fine Lees” by stirring the wine to move the lees off the bottom so that it can have more contact with the wine. The French term for this stirring technique is “Bâttonage.”

As the dead yeast cells break down during aging, they can bring out flavors of nuts, honey, bread, etc. They can also bind with tannins in the wine and to help smooth out the wine. So then, when the wine maker is happy with their wine’s characteristics, they let the Fine Lees settle and again carefully transfer (rack off) the wine and leave behind the layer of dead yeast cells that lay on the bottom of the aging vessel. 

Behind the Cork™ - Tió Pepe Fino Sherry

Tió Pepe Fino Sherry ($19.99)

Tió Pepe’s Fino Sherry is from the city of Jarez in southern Spain's Andalusia region.

It’s made from the Palomino grape, fermented to the 11-12% ABV range, fortified to 15.5% and then enters the Tió Pepe Solera. While it spends four years in the Solera, a layer of yeast, known as the ‘flor’ forms on the surface of the Sherry within the cask. This protects the Sherry from oxygen and gives Tió Pepe its unique aroma and character.

The aroma is notable for its yeast along with notes of toasted almond. This Sherry is a pale golden yellow in color and light in flavor (hence Fino). It’s completely dry and, when served very chilled or over ice, makes for a wonderful aperitif. [ABV: 15%, TA: 4 g/L, pH:3, RS: <1 g/L]


So, whether you enjoy Sherry straight up or mixed in a cocktail, try this one from Tió Pepe. This is a very enjoyable Sherry that’s offered at a great price, making it a nice fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Gonzalez Byass

What "Dry" Means for a Still Wine versus a Sparkling Wine

Have you ever taken a sip of red wine and noticed that your mouth feels dry or dusty? Almost that ‘cotton-mouth’ feel? Well, that is a sensation that is generally associated with red wines.

The dry sensation is due to the wine being astringent and its effect on the tissue in your mouth. Some people have also described the sensation as making their mouth pucker.

The culprits that causes this drying sensation in your mouth are actually chemical compounds (phenolics) that naturally occur in grapes. These ‘tannin’ come from the grape skins, seeds and stems.

But, while a ‘dry’ sensation in your mouth is associated with tannin, the wine term “Dry” actually refers to the lack of sweetness - the amount of residual sugar. A “Dry” wine will have little to no residual sugar, meaning that the fermentation process converted all the natural sugar in the grape juice to alcohol. Residual Sugar (RS) in still wines is categorized as follows:

  • Dry: Less than 1% sweetness or <10 gm/L of Residual Sugar

  • Off-Dry: 3% to 5% sweetness or 10-35 gm/L RS

  • Sweet: Above 5% sweetness or 35-120 gm/L RS

  • Very Sweet: Above 12% sweetness or 120 - 220 gm/L RS

In sparkling wines, there are multiple styles of produced:

  • Extra Brut: 0-6% RS

  • Brut: 0-15% RS

  • Extra Dry: 12-20% RS

  • Dry: 17-35% RS

  • Demi Sec: 35-50% RS

  • Doux: Greater than 50% RS

So, a ‘dry’ still wine will have less than 1% residual sugar, while a ‘dry’ sparkling wine will have 17-35% residual sugar! Just another example of the confusing terms in the wine world.

Here’s to making the wine world just a bit less confusing. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Trujillo Madelyn White Wine Cuvée

2023 Madelyn White Wine Cuvée ($24)

Michael Trujillo, Winemaker at Trujillo Wines, says “In life, as in winemaking, a blend of great things often results in something fun and unique.” In tribute to his daughter, Sophia Madelyn Trujillo, he proudly makes this white wine cuvée (i.e., a wine made with more than one grape variety).

This wine is produced from a blend of 61% Sauvignon Blanc and 39% Gewürztraminer that was fermented and maintained in Stainless Steel tanks to preserve the bright fruit flavors.

This Madelyn Cuvée (KOO-vay) is medium straw in color with bright aromas of citrus, grapefruit and tropical fruits with the Gewürztraminer adding floral notes. On the palate it is medium-light in body and dry, not sweet, with refreshing citrus and grapefruit flavors, bright acidity and a lingering finish. [ABV: 14.1%, TA: 7.0 g/L, pH: 3.39, RS: 1.5 g/L] 588 Cases Produced

This Trujillo Madelyn White Wine Cuvée is a fun and refreshing wine that can be enjoyed in all casual setting and goes great with lite fare. This is a very enjoyable wine that’s offered at a great price, making it a nice fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Trujillo Wines

Did You Know that Chablis is a Wine Region, Not a Wine Grape?

There was a time when ordering a glass of Chablis was generic for a glass of white wine. No specific type of wine, just a white wine. But there is so much more to Chablis than just a white wine.

Chablis is a region located in the northwest corner of the province of Burgundy in France.  It produces light, dry white wines known for their minerality and crisp acidity. And all white wines produced in Chablis are made exclusively from the Chardonnay grape.  They tend to be dry and fresh in flavor with distinct minerality. Chablis is usually un-oaked to retain its bright, crisp flavors. A few Chablis producers do use oak barrels in their wine making but these are restricted to the higher-quality wines and does not lead to overpowering oak flavors.

The vineyards of Chablis are classified into four tiers of quality, all precisely regulated by the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC), and noted on the bottles' label:

  • Chablis Grand Cru AOC- Highest quality wines from seven vineyards on one slope

    • Only region where some oak aging is done. These wines have flavors of passion fruit, apricot, apple and orange rind.

  • Chablis Premier Cru AOC - Seventy vineyards in some of the better locations

    • The limestone soils produce richer fruit with flavors of lemon, starfruit and flint minerality

  • Chablis AOC - Comprised of the vineyards mostly closer in to the town of Chablis

    • These wines have nice flavors of citrus, pear and minerals

  • Petit Chablis AOC - Vineyard areas in the outer areas from the town of Chablis

    • These tend to have higher acidity, tart citrus flavors, and are best enjoyed young

So, when ordering a glass of wine, or shopping for white wines, remember that a white Burgundy from Chablis is a Chardonnay. And, don't just order a glass of white wine, order a French Chablis and enjoy some of the finest white wine the world has to offer. Cheers!