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WHAT IS SUR LIE?

“Sur lie” (French for “on the lees”) refers to a winemaking technique where a wine is left to rest on its lees—the spent yeast cells and tiny particles that settle after fermentation.

Diane Valenti

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What it does to the wine:

Aging sur lie can enhance both texture and flavor:

• Adds a creamy, fuller mouthfeel

• Contributes flavors like bread dough, toast, nuttiness, or biscuit

• Helps improve complexity and stability

Lees stirring (bâtonnage):

Winemakers sometimes stir the lees during aging—a process called bâtonnage—to further increase richness and integrate flavors.

Common examples:

• Classic in Muscadet where it adds body to a typically light wine

• Frequently used in Chardonnay, especially in Burgundy-style wines

• Also seen in some sparkling wines, like Champagne during their aging process

Wine Terminology: Sur Lie

• What it does: Allows the wine to sit on sediment (lees) after fermentation without racking (filtering), creating a creamy, velvety mouthfeel.

• Flavors: Contributes to toasty, nutty, bread-like aromas, often described as acacia or brioche.

• Benefits: Improves clarity, stabilizes color, and enhances the integration of oak flavors.

In simple terms:

“Sur lie” means the wine has been aged on its natural sediment to build texture, depth, and character—often giving it a richer, more layered profile.

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