Dépôt is the French term for the lees sediment that is removed from a Champagne bottle during disgorgement.
During the second fermentation, yeast cells and other solids settle inside the bottle. This deposit is called lees, or dépôt in French. Producers first move it gradually into the neck through riddling. The bottle is then chilled, and the neck is opened so the pressure ejects the frozen sediment plug.
Removing the dépôt gives Champagne its bright, clear appearance. Before modern riddling and disgorgement techniques became established, sparkling wines could remain cloudy because the sediment was difficult to separate from the finished wine.
Dépôt should not be confused with the liqueur d’expédition added after disgorgement. The sediment is waste removed from the bottle, while the expedition liqueur is a measured mixture used to top up the bottle and determine the final sweetness.