What is the purpose of dosage in champagne production?

• A. To start second fermentation
• B. To finish aging on lees
• C. To filter the wine
• D. To add sugar after disgorgement

Answer: (D)

Dosage is about finishing the wine’s balance. After disgorgement, a measured amount of sugar (usually dissolved in wine) is added in a step called liqueur d’expédition. This small, precise addition adjusts the final sweetness level, roundness, and perceived acidity, helping to define the champagne’s style—Brut, Extra Brut, Brut Nature, and so on. The amount chosen also can compensate for any slight volume loss from disgorgement and influence the wine’s finish and drinkability.

It isn’t used to start the second fermentation (that occurs earlier in the process, during tirage). It isn’t about finishing aging on the lees (that aging happens before disgorgement). It isn’t a filtration step either.