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!
Related articles
- Wine Of The Week – 2010 La Follette Sangiacomo Chardonnay (enofylzwineblog.com)
- Coming This Weekend – Urban Wine Xperience! (enofylzwineblog.com)
Thanks for sharing our video with your readers!