What is the liqueur d'expédition?

• A. A mix of sugar and still wine added after disgorgement and before the cork is inserted
• B. A blend of grape must
• C. A sugarless wine
• D. A distillate

Answer: (A)

Liqueur d’expédition is the sweetening dosage that determines the final style of Champagne. It is a mixture of sugar dissolved in a base of still wine, and it is added after disgorgement but before the cork is inserted. This step offsets the wine lost during disgorgement and lets producers dial in the level of sweetness (Brut, Extra Brut, Demi-Sec, etc.), shaping the balance and perception of the finished bottle.

That’s why the described option is correct: a blend of sugar and still wine added after disgorgement and before final sealing. The other choices don’t fit this concept—grape must would imply a different stage or purpose, a sugarless wine wouldn’t provide sweetness, and a distillate would introduce a completely different component not used as the dosage.