Bâtonnage

Bâtonage is the process of stirring barrels, or any other vessel holding wine to re-suspend lees, consisting mostly of dead yeast. Stirring the lees impacts the texture, aroma and flavour. In addition, the process introduces oxygen as the vessel must be unsealed to insert the stirrer.

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Bâtonnage is the process of stirring barrels, or any other vessel holding wine to re-suspend lees, consisting mostly of dead yeast. Stirring the lees impacts the texture, aroma and flavour. In addition, the process introduces oxygen as the vessel must be unsealed to insert the stirrer. It’s an important part of the élévage of the wine. Typically stirring will be more frequent in the early phase of ageing. Frequency will be determined by experience and tasting the wine. There is little point in stirring the wine more frequently than weekly as the lees takes a week to settle and the impact of the introduction of oxygen could be too severe.

 

Synonyms:
Lees Stirring
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Daniel Bouland Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Mélanie 2022

Gamay Noir from Morgon, Beaujolais

Daniel Bouland Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Mélanie 2024

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$62
$59ea in any 3+
$56ea in any 6+
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Domaine de la Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er Cru 'Caillerets - Clos des 60 Ouvrées' 2022

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Domaine Roland Lavantureux Chablis 1er Cru 'Vau de Vey' 2019

Chardonnay from Chablis, Burgundy

Domaine Roland Lavantureux Chablis 1er Cru ‘Vau de Vey’ 2019

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$130
$125ea in any 3+
$120ea in any 6+
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Domaine Didier Dagueneau Buisson Renard Blanc VDF 2023

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Domaine Didier Dagueneau Buisson Renard Blanc VDF 2023

This wine is priced above Pur Sang these days, indicating how highly the Domaine rates the vineyard and the wine. Buisson Renard is a cool mid-slope terroir on the southwest side of the Saint-Andelain hill and the soils are a mixture of clay and flint (or silex). The site was historically named Buisson Menard, as was the wine initially, but a wine writer mistakenly reviewed the wine as Buisson Renard. Renard means fox in French, and Buisson means bush, so the error gave the wine a name

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$420
$400ea in any 3+
$380ea in any 6+
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