Aging on lees and their alternatives: Impact on wine

Wine aging on lees is a traditional winemaking practice used during wine processes. After alcoholic fermentation, the wines are placed in barrels or in stainless steel tank with their yeasts for several months. Lees can be periodically stirred (bâtonnage). In Burgundy, most of white wines are traditionally aged on lees, especially those from “Côte de Beaune.” However, this technique is now used worldwide. Lees aging increases complexity, aroma and flavor compounds, palate weight, and texture in a wine. Taking into account the properties of the lees, new products have been developed for the wine industry called inactive dry yeast, which has gained interest in the oenological industry. Indeed, these preparations could be used for multiple purposes such as improving alcoholic fermentation or malolactic fermentation, enhance organoleptic characteristics of wine, or ensure wine safety.