Role of lees in wine production: A review

The sometimes contradictory role attributed by scientists to lees in wine production is discussed in this review. Studies dealing with the importance of lees in the natural removal of undesirable compounds from wine, the effect of lees–wine contact on the volatile fraction of wines, the key influence of lees on biogenic amine contents in wines, the interactions between lees and phenolic compounds, and the importance of mannoproteins and lipids released by lees have been critically reviewed. Finally, the present exploitation of lees is also outlined.