Remuage, or “riddling” in English, is an essential step in the traditional méthode champenoise (Champagne method) of making sparkling wine. This process involves gently rotating and tilting the bottles of wine to move the sediment (lees) that forms during secondary fermentation toward the neck of the bottle. The purpose of remuage is to clarify the wine by consolidating the sediment into a compact deposit, which will later be removed during the disgorgement phase.
Originally, remuage was done by hand, with a skilled worker (called a remueur) systematically turning each bottle by small increments over several weeks. The bottles are placed on an A-frame rack called a pupitre, and each turn slightly rotates and tilts the bottle, gradually encouraging the sediment to move. The end goal is to have all the sediment collected in the neck of the bottle, leaving the rest of the wine clear and sparkling.
Although manual remuage is still practiced in some artisanal wineries, modern technology has introduced machines known as gyropalettes that can automate the process, significantly reducing the labor and time required. Nevertheless, remuage remains an important tradition in Champagne and other sparkling wine regions, symbolizing the craftsmanship and precision involved in high-quality winemaking.
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English