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Background and Aims: The significance of oxygen in winemaking has been well established, but knowledge gaps exist regarding the extent and impact passive oxygenation has on chemical and sensory properties during the initial stages. Methods and Results: Using in‐press oxygen monitors, controlling oxygen exposure during the earliest stages of grape processing was shown to be highly effective. This work demonstrated that pressing management has far more impact on wine composition than handling management; the earliest and highest exposure to oxygen has the most profound impact on the composition of the resulting wine compared to the lower levels of repeated exposure typical of normal handling procedures. Furthermore, control of oxygen exposure during post‐pressing operations offers the possibility of modulating specific classes of compounds, described in sensory analysis as floral and confection. Conclusions: Significant modulation of aromatic, phenolic and protein profiles of wine occurred through controlling oxygen exposure during the earliest stages of grape processing. Significance of the Study: This work shows the possible stylistic potential and limitations of oxygen control, albeit with investment in press technology. The understanding of the relative influence of processing variables assessed in this work can be immediately applied by winemakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]