You know the deal; the more some folks learn about a topic, the more shortcuts/slang/acronyms/initials/technical jargon can be tossed around.  I’m here to help you understand those sometimes mysterious words and phrases, thus – Wine Words Demystified!

This week’s word is Bâttonage…

According to the Concise World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson:

French for lees stirring, from bâton French for stick

I was speaking with a winemaker recently about his Sauvignon Blanc, which he characterized as a “New Zealand” style.  Since the winery is in Napa I asked how he went about doing that since the terroirs are so different.  Part of his answer was “bâttonage”.  It’s a technique that was used my “Wine Of The Week” (see below), and is in part why it has a great mouthfeel.

Here’s a great video from the Jordan Vineyard and Winery Blog that features their winemaker discussing this technique.  I like how it is the post describes the technique…”Bâtonnage is a wonderful tool for winemakers, almost like a spice rack to a chef.”

Cheers!

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