Élevage
The French term encompassing the entire process of raising or "bringing up" a wine from fermentation to bottling — including barrel ageing, lees contact, fining, filtration, and blending.
In depth
Élevage (from "élever" — to raise, as in raising livestock or children) covers everything that happens to wine between the end of fermentation and bottling. It is not simply ageing — it includes active decisions: which vessels to use (new oak, old oak, stainless steel, concrete), how long to age, whether to stir the lees, when and how to blend, whether to fine or filter, and when to bottle.
The élevage philosophy profoundly shapes the wine's style. A winemaker who uses 100% new French oak for 18 months, performs weekly batonnage, and blocks all MLF will produce a very different wine from one who uses old oak for 12 months with minimal intervention.
Élevage decisions are particularly visible in premium wine regions: Burgundy debates the ideal combination of new oak percentage, lees stirring frequency, and bottling timing for each vintage. Bordeaux châteaux adjust élevage length and oak usage year by year based on the vintage character.
At Level 3, élevage knowledge demonstrates understanding of how winemaking choices (not just viticulture) shape a wine's style and quality.
Related exam topics
Frequently asked questions
- What decisions does a winemaker make during élevage?
- Key élevage decisions include: the vessel type (new oak barrel, old oak, stainless steel, concrete, amphora); ageing duration; whether to stir the lees (batonnage) and how frequently; whether to allow MLF; when to rack (transfer between vessels to remove sediment); whether to fine or filter; the timing and approach to assemblage (blending); and the final bottling date. Each decision shapes the finished wine's texture, flavour, and ageing potential.
Practise questions on this topic
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