Bâtonnage
/ba.tɔ.naʒ/
Bâtonnage is the winemaking practice of periodically stirring the lees—mainly dead yeast cells and fine sediment—during the aging phase, typically in barrel or tank, to enhance texture, mouthfeel, aromatic complexity, and stability. It is most commonly associated with barrel-aged white wines such as Chardonnay and certain sparkling base wines.
Examples
- The winery’s estate Chardonnay was aged 10 months in French oak with weekly bâtonnage to create a creamier mouthfeel and subtle brioche and nutty notes.
- A Muscadet sur lie from the Loire underwent occasional bâtonnage on fine lees, giving the light, crisp wine extra roundness and a faintly yeasty, bread-dough character.
- During a cellar tour, the winemaker explained that they perform bâtonnage by hand with a long metal rod, stirring each barrel every two weeks for the first three months of élevage to build mid-palate weight without making the wine too heavy.
Etymology
From French "bâtonnage," formed from "bâton" (stick, rod) plus the action-forming suffix "-age." It literally refers to the act of using a stick or rod—traditionally a long wooden or metal tool—to stir the lees in a barrel. The practice is historically linked to Burgundy and other French regions, where lees stirring in barrel-aged whites (notably Chardonnay) became a classic technique to build richness and complexity; the French term has since been widely adopted internationally in professional wine vocabulary.