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Tank-room operator (cuviste)

The winery tank room (French cuverie or cercle) plays a pivotal role in the process that transforms grape must into still wine in the final three months of the year. The tank-room operator oversees:

-* the reception of the new grape musts, followed by settling/racking (débourbage);

  • the sensory analysis of the grape must, followed by alcoholic fermentation in thermostatically-controlled vats.

Early in the new year, the Cellar Master and House oenologists select the wines they require for blending. These are then transferred from the fermentation tank to the blending tank, supervised by the tank-room operator whose next job is to oversee tirage - the bottling of the newly-blended wine, which in very large Champagne Houses can continue until the following harvest.