Describe the role of lees aging in white wine and how batonage differs.

• A. Lees aging reduces harshness and adds texture; batonage actively stirs lees to increase richness
• B. Lees aging increases harshness; batonage removes lees
• C. Lees aging has no effect; batonage is only used in red wines
• D. Batonage is passive contact with lees

Answer: (A)

Lees aging on white wine means letting the wine stay in contact with the dead yeast cells (the lees) after fermentation. This contact softens perceived acidity, adds texture and body, and can introduce subtle autolytic flavors such as biscuit, bread, or nutty notes. Batonage is the active practice of stirring those lees during the aging period. By regularly turning the lees back into the wine, batonage enhances the extraction of lees-derived compounds, boosting creaminess, richness, and mouthfeel, sometimes amplifying those biscuit-like flavors. The key contrast is that lees aging provides softening and texture, while batonage speeds and deepens those effects through deliberate stirring. The other statements misstate the effect or the method: lees aging doesn’t inherently increase harshness; batonage isn’t about removing lees; there is a real effect from lees contact; and batonage is not passive but active stirring.