What is batonage in winemaking?

• A. Stirring the lees to increase surface contact
• B. Filtering the must
• C. Carbonation
• D. Cold charging

Answer: (A)

Batonage is the practice of stirring the lees—the sediment of dead yeast and other particles left in the wine after fermentation—to keep them in suspension and maximize contact with the liquid. This ongoing contact encourages autolysis, where the lees break down and release compounds like mannoproteins that enrich texture and aroma. The result is a fuller, creamier mouthfeel and more complex flavors, often with bread- or biscuit-like notes, a quality especially sought in white wines like Chardonnay and sometimes used with reds. The technique is typically done in barrels or tanks and can be performed at intervals during aging to build these effects.

Stirring the lees is different from filtering the must, which clarifies and removes solids; it’s also not about adding carbonation or changing temperature through cold charging.