•Bentonite fining during fermentation reduced the required dose up to 21%.•The most effective was fining in the middle and at the end of fermentation.•Wines fermented with bentonite had more hydroxycinnamoyltartaric acids than control.•The effect on varietal aromas was weak to moderate.•Bentonite in fermentation preserved key esters and enhanced wine sensory quality. To test the effects of bentonite addition at various stages of fermentation, five Malvazija istarska white grape must vinification treatments were performed with 100 g/hL of bentonite added in clear juice, at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of fermentation, while control was fermented without bentonite. Phenols and free and bound volatile aromas were determined by HPLC-DAD and SPE-GC-MS. Wines were evaluated sensorially. Fining during fermentation reduced the total bentonite dose required, and was most effective near the end of fermentation with the reduction of 16% and 21%, depending on the protein stability test. All treated wines preserved more hydroxycinnamoyltartaric acids with respect to control. The side-effect of these treatments on varietal aromas was moderate, but enhanced the preservation of key fermentation volatiles in relation to control, and exhibited positive sensory effects. It was concluded that bentonite added during fermentation may positively affect wine quantity and quality.