What does Bâtonnage mean?

Bâtonnage means stirring the lees in the barrel or tank during ageing, giving the wine more body and a creamier texture.

Also known as: Lees stirring

Bâtonnage is French for stirring with a stick, a bâton. The producer stirs the lees, the dead yeast cells that settle at the bottom after fermentation, so they mix with the wine again. It is done in barrel or tank, often once a week or less, over a few months.

As the yeast cells break down, they release compounds such as mannoproteins and polysaccharides. These give the wine more body, a rounder and creamier texture and sometimes notes of bread or brioche. The lees also absorb oxygen, which can protect the wine, and can make oak tannins feel softer.

The method is mainly associated with white Bourgogne and other barrel-aged chardonnay, but it is also used for other whites and sometimes reds. It is linked to ageing sur lie, where the wine stays on its lees, as in Muscadet. Ageing sur lie can, however, take place without stirring.

Too much bâtonnage can make a wine heavy and mute the fruit, so producers adjust it to the style they want. On the wine page it tells you the wine probably has a fuller texture.