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Lees from Merlot after fermentation.

Look up lees in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Lees refers to deposits of dead yeast or residual yeast and other particles that precipitate, or are carried by the action of "fining", to the bottom of a vat of wine after fermentation and aging. The yeast deposits in beer brewing are known as trub. However, yeast deposits from secondary fermentation of beer are referred to as lees.

Normally the wine is transferred to another container (racking), leaving this sediment behind. Some wines, (notably Muscadet), are sometimes aged for a time on the lees (a process known as sur lie), leading to a distinctive yeasty aroma and taste. The lees may be stirred (batonnage in French) in order to promote uptake of the lees flavor.

The lees are an important component in the making of Ripasso where the left-over lees from Amarone are used to impart more flavor and color to partially-aged Valpolicella.

References go as far back as the early translations of Jewish scriptures where the phrase "Wine on the Lees" is used in Isaiah 25:6 in the King James version of the Bible.

[edit] Sur lie

Sur lie literally translates from the French as 'on lees', lees being the yeasty residue remaining in the cask after fermentation. 'Sur lie' wines are bottled directly from the lees without racking (a process for filtering the wine), giving an added freshness and creaminess to the wine. Muscadet is made in this fashion.

Beer on lees is also sometimes made. Many of the beers offered by the Quebec, Canada based Unibroue are on lees.

[edit] See also

• Autolysis (wine)

[edit] External links

•  "Lee". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.