Disgorging

During disgorging, the dead yeast cells are removed from the bottles. Disgorging takes place at the Landgoed Heenwerf winery.

After a resting period of 9, 12, 24 or 60 (...) months, the bottles are opened to remove the dead yeast. This process requires special equipment and dexterity. So how does it work?

After riddling, the bottles are stored upside down. The yeast is packed into the capsule and sits at the bottom of the bottle neck. The bottle necks are frozen to minus 25°C before being opened. The pressure of 6 bar causes the yeast plug to fly out. Some loss of wine is unavoidable.

After that, the wine is topped up with the dosage liqueur, the amount of which we have determined beforehand through blind tasting. This sweetener helps to balance the wine. The bottle is then sealed with a real cork, which is secured with the muselet (the wire cage). The bottles undergo a quality check and are washed before being stacked in the crate.

The wine must be left to rest for a further two months before it can be sold and labelled.