What is 'transversage' in Champagne production?

• A. A method of aging on lees
• B. The process of using 750 ml bottles to fill larger or smaller bottles
• C. A labeling term for bottle size
• D. The fermentation of must in large casks

Answer: (B)

Transvasage is the act of transferring wine from one bottle to another bottle size. In Champagne production, this packaging step is used when a producer needs to move wine from standard 750 ml bottles into larger formats (like magnums) or sometimes into smaller ones. It’s a repackaging operation that happens after the wine has been produced and aged, not a method of aging on the lees, nor a fermentation process in large casks, and it isn’t simply a labeling term. So the description of using 750 ml bottles to fill larger or smaller bottles captures the exact meaning of transvasage.