Tirage is the step in champagne production where yeast and sugar (liqueur de tirage) are added to still wine in the bottle to trigger secondary fermentation, creating carbonation. The resulting CO₂ is trapped, building pressure in the bottle. Tirage determines when secondary fermentation begins and is carefully timed and controlled. The term also refers to the timing and quantity of bottles produced in a given "tirage" release.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR COLLECTORS
Understanding tirage helps appreciate champagne's complexity development. The quality of tirage management affects final bubble structure and champagne character.
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