Dosage is a mixture of liquid sugar (we use grape must) and wine which is added after disgorging (when yeast lees are removed from bottle during traditional method sparkling wine production) to top up the bottles and balance the naturally high acidity of the wine.
The blind dosage trials for our 2013 Blanc de Blancs have been sparking plenty of debate around the tractor. Dosage is always a contentious issue - for the purists, any additions detract from the true expression of terroir and vintage, for others, dosage is as key as adding seasoning to a meal.
Westwell’s winemaker Adrian explains “Dosage is a balancing act - it’s about lifting the fruit, mellowing the acidity whilst retaining freshness. By picking ripe fruit as we do, you get fuller flavours which tends to mean lower dosage levels but we always add whatever we think best balances the wine."
