What is the purpose of riddling (remuage) and what happens during disgorgement?

• A. Riddling collects lees near cork; disgorgement ejects lees before dosage
• B. Riddling filters wine; disgorgement adds sugar
• C. Riddling ages wine; disgorgement seals bottle immediately
• D. Riddling adds yeast; disgorgement removes cork

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is how the process clears and prepares the bottle for final packaging in sparkling wine. Riddling (remuage) is done to move the yeast lees that form during secondary fermentation toward the bottle’s neck. By gradually turning the bottle, the sediment collects near the cork area so it can be removed efficiently. Disgorgement then freezes the neck and ejects that frozen plug of lees when the bottle is opened, clearing the wine of sediment before the final sweetness is added. After disgorgement, the dosage (liqueur d’expédition) is introduced to achieve the desired style and balance.

So the description that fits best is that riddling collects lees near the cork and disgorgement ejects lees before dosage, aligning with the actual sequence of steps in traditional Champagne production. The other options don’t fit because riddling is not about filtering or aging the wine, disgorgement is not about sealing the bottle immediately, and it does not involve adding yeast or removing cork in that simplistic way.