Chapter 16 is where white winemaking stops feeling “lighter” than red and starts revealing how exposed it really is. Without tannin or skin structure as a buffer, small decisions around oxygen, solids, temperature, lees and timing have an outsized impact on aroma, texture, stability and shelf life.

As you listen, don’t memorise techniques in isolation. Track the why: when clarity is chosen over texture, when protection matters more than extraction, and how early choices quietly lock in style, quality and price long before fermentation finishes.

If this chapter feels subtle, that’s the point. White winemaking is about control through restraint — and this is exactly the level of understanding examiners are looking for at distinction level.

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