Liqueur d'expédition

French · dosage liqueur

Liqueur d'expédition is the dosage liqueur: cane sugar dissolved in wine, added after disgorgement. The Union des Maisons de Champagne gives 0 to 5-6 cl per bottle.1,2

The Union des Maisons de Champagne says the wine used includes reserve wines at least two years old.1 EU rules allow sucrose, grape must, concentrated or rectified concentrated must, wine and optionally wine distillate, and the liqueur may not raise actual alcoholic strength by more than 0.5% vol.4

It is added by a doseuse; the amount decides the dosage category. Some rules forbid it: Clairette de Die prohibits liqueur d'expédition.5 Compare liqueur de tirage. See dosage liqueur.

See also

Dosage and liqueur d’expéditionMethodsDosageGlossaryDoseuseGlossaryThe sugar scale of sparkling wineDosageLiqueur de tirageGlossary

Sources

  1. Union des Maisons de Champagne. Dosage
  2. Comité Champagne (champagne.education). Fiche Élaboration du Champagne (FR) (2024-05)
  3. Comité Champagne (champagne.fr). Dosage
  4. legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/934, Annex II (sparkling wine oenological practices), as reproduced on legislation.gov.uk (2019-03-12)
  5. INAO. Cahier des charges AOP Clairette de Die, proposed modification approved by national committee 29/30 June 2023 (2023-06-30)

Facts checked on 2026-10-19