Which step is crucial for stabilizing white wine?

Fining is a crucial step for stabilizing white wine because it helps remove unwanted particles and compounds that can affect the wine's clarity, flavor, and overall quality. During fining, agents such as bentonite clay, egg whites, or casein are added to the wine. These agents bind to particulates and impurities, promoting their aggregation and settling to the bottom of the fermentation vessel. This process results in a clearer, more stable wine, free from haze and unwanted flavors.

While fermentation is essential for converting grape sugars into alcohol, it does not directly contribute to stabilization. Filtration can further clarify the wine after fining but is typically performed as an additional step to ensure any remaining particles are removed. Clarification involves the natural settling and racking processes that precede fining and filtration, but on its own may not be as effective in ensuring the wine's microbiological stability. Therefore, fining stands out as the key practice specifically aimed at enhancing the stability of white wine.