Sur lie aging
/syʁ li/
Sur lie aging (/syʁ li/) is a winemaking technique in which wine is matured in contact with its lees (dead yeast cells and fine sediment) after fermentation to enhance texture, complexity, and flavor. This process can give wines a creamier mouthfeel and add bready, nutty, or brioche-like aromas, especially in white and sparkling wines.
Examples
- A Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine labeled "Sur Lie" is required by appellation rules to be aged on its lees for several months, giving the light, high-acid white wine more texture and subtle yeasty notes.
- Non-vintage Champagne is typically aged sur lie in bottle for at least 12 months, developing autolytic aromas of brioche, toast, and biscuit and creating finer, more persistent bubbles.
- A barrel-fermented Chardonnay may be aged sur lie with periodic bâtonnage (lees stirring) for 9–12 months to build body, soften acidity, and add creamy, brioche-like complexity.
Etymology
From French "sur lie," literally "on lees" or "on the lees": "sur" meaning "on/upon" and "lie" meaning the sediment or dregs of wine. "Lie" in French traces back to Old French and ultimately to Latin roots referring to sediment at the bottom of a liquid. The expression became formalized in French oenological vocabulary (e.g., "élevage sur lie") and was later adopted internationally, particularly for white wines such as Muscadet and for traditional-method sparkling wines like Champagne.