Pressurage direct

The other listed routes are maceration, saignée and rosé d'assemblage, the blending of white and red wines before tirage.¹

Direct pressing follows the general Champagne rules for pressurage: whole bunches, pressed slowly and in separate fractions.² Champagne pressing is done immediately after picking.² The juice runs into an open tank, the belon,³ and the must then settles for 12 to 24 hours.² Saignée, by contrast, bleeds juice off after brief skin contact.¹ See rosé and pressing.