Advanced Vinification - WINE YEASTS

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UNITED STATES SOMMELIER ASSOCIATION, INC.ADVANCED WINEMAKING

Strains of Wine Yeast

Winemaker choices for different varietals and styles

Red Star Active Dry Yeasts

Assmannshausen

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Assmannshausen is a German yeast strain. Germany leads the world in yeastisolation and production. Assmannshausen is best suited for red wines. It intensifies the color and adds aspicy aroma. It first was only meant for Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, but now Cabernet Sauvignon takesadvantage of this strain. The only drawback is its ineffectiveness in a high solid content.

Côte des Bancs

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Formerly known as Epernay 2, this is another slow fermenting, very low foamingyeasts tolerant of low temperatures. It tends to bring out floral and fruity qualities in wines and can beuseful in both grape--especially fruity German style whites-- and non-grape wines--such as peach orraspberry--where a bouquet is especially desired. This yeast will not push alcohol production over 13% ina cool fermentation.

l Epernay

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Epernay is a Champagne yeast, meaning it was isolated in Champagne, France and is used inChampagne production. Epernay is used in bottle fermenting because it ferments slowly and is tolerant tocold temperatures with moderate foaming. It is also used for primary fermentations of still white wines.

Flor Sherry

: Develops "flor" aerobically, but also useful for anaerobic fermentations of Port, Madeira, orother sweet styles.

Montrachet

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Perhaps the most popular yeast used. It is available for both red and white winefermentations and may be called Montrachet Red and Montrachet White. It works especially well inproducing Chardonnay in barrel and stainless steel. It also tolerates sulfur dioxide well, but does not work well with high sugar levels (more than 23.5 percent). It is this ineffectiveness in high sugar levels that ismost likely responsible for many stuck fermentations.

Pasteur Champagne

: Champagne yeast is the second most common yeast strain used. It was isolated inChampagne, France and is technically a mixed-population culture. It is common in sparkling wineproduction because of its ability to induce fermentation quickly and because of its effectiveness in lowtemperatures and its tolerance of high alcohol conditions. These conditions are common in sparkling wineproduction.

Pasteur Red

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Pasteur red is also called French red. Like Champagne, it is a mixed population strain. Itwas developed in Bordeaux, France. It is meant for red wines because it is tolerant to heat and sulfurdioxide and hardly ever causes stuck fermentation. The red wines it is usually used for are CabernetSauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.

Pasteur White

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Pasteur white is also called French white. As the name suggests, it is used primarily forwhite wine fermentation because of its ability to ferment slowly and tolerate cold temperatures. It alsogives off a noticeable yeasty aroma. Pasteur white foams considerably so it works better in stainless steelrather than wooden barrels.

Premier Cuvée

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Also known as Prise de Mousse, this is a Champagne yeast that is strong acting, lowfoaming and therefore qualified for barrel fermentations. It imparts a strong yeasty aroma and is usefulfor secondary fermentation in both still and sparkling wine production. Good for reds and whites alike andfor restarting stuck or sluggish fermentations.

Steinberg

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A strain developed in Germany. Like Pasteur white, Steinberg is used for white winefermentation because it yields a lengthy fermentation process. It even tolerates the cold better thanPasteur white. Johannesburg Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc and Muscat all use this strain. Itgives off a tropical fruit aroma and is best used in stainless steel fermenting.

Lalvin Active Dry Yeasts

Many of Lalvin's yeasts are only sold in quantities of 500 mg or larger and are intended for commercialrather than home use. It is often feasible for a winemaking club's members to pool their resources andpurchase a quantity, then divide it up among themselves. Alternatively, one could check the commercialwineries in their area and determine whether they would sell a small quantity of yeast if they happen tobe using one of these.

Lalvin 43

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This yeast was selected for its exceptional ability to restart stuck fermentations, out-performing 33 different isolates tested against each other and the traditional strains typically used torestart stuck fermentations. The stuck fermentations used in the selection process were from wines withhigh alcohols (14.3% with 21 gm/l residual sugar) and high free SO2 (35 mg/l). Although selected for itsrestart abilities, it also gives good sensory results when used in high sugar musts. It is a fast fermenterwith a temperature range of 55-95°. Alcohol tolerance is at least 18%.

Lalvin 71B-1122 (Narbonne)

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This yeast metabolizes more of the malic acid during fermentation thanmost other yeasts and should be considered for wines, which are high in, malic. It is noted for producing"fruity" reds such as

vin nouveau

and works well with high-acid native North American grapes, producingrounder, smoother, more aromatic wines that tend to mature quickly. Because it is also known formaking blush, rosé and semi-sweet wines with a tropical fruit character, it promotes these styles withCabernet Franc, Gewürztraminer and Riesling. For obvious reasons, is often the yeast of choice for agreat many malic fruit and berries and for vegetable-grape concentrate blended wines. Alcohol toxicity ispredictable at 14% and its temperature range is 60-85°. F.

Lalvin AC-

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This yeast was selected from fermentations in the Loire region with the objective of finding astrain that would lower the acidity perception while maintaining and developing fresh fruit and floralaromatics. A moderate speed fermenter, this strain can tolerate fermentation temperatures to 85° F., yetstill produce low levels of SO2 and H2S. This yeast is used in the Loire Valley for Sauvignon Blanc andMuscadet as a complement to young, balanced dry or off-dry white wines. It should prove useful for highacidity North American native grape varieties and high acid fruits. Alcohol toxicity is 14%.

Lalvin AMH (Assmanshausen)

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This yeast enhances the varietal character of such grapes as PinotNoir and Zinfandel. It is considered a color friendly strain that enhances spicy and fruity flavors andaromas. This strain has a long lag phase, a slow to medium fermentation rate and benefits greatly fromthe use of superior nutrients. Good strain domination is obtained if the culture is allowed to develop inabout 10% of the total must for about 8 hours before final inoculation. It has a 15% alcohol tolerance ata temperature rage of 68-86° F.

Lalvin BA11

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This strain is a relatively new selection (1997), isolated near Estação Vitivinicola deBarraida in Portugal. It has excellent fermentation kinetics, even at low temperatures (68-86°), a 16%alcohol toxicity ceiling, and excellent promotion of esters. It promotes clean, aromatic, varietalcharacteristics and intensifies mouth feel and lingering flavors in white wines and does almost as wellwith rosé styles. In relatively neutral white varieties, it encourages the fresh fruit aromas of orangeblossom, pineapple and apricot. It requires a high-nitrogen nutrient.

Lalvin BDX

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A French isolate, Lallemand touts this strain as "The perfect fermenter." It has perfectfermentation kinetics at a moderate rate and temperature (64-86° F.) and does not generate a lot of heatduring fermentation. It is highly recommended for the production of quality dry red wines (alcoholtoxicity at 16%), especially Merlot and Cabernet sauvignon, with minimum color loss and enhanced flavorand aroma. Like BA11, it requires a high-nitrogen nutrient.

Lalvin BGY (Burgundy)

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Isolated in the Burgundy region of France, this strain should be consideredprimarily for commercial use rather than the home. It is used in reds, particularly Pinot Noir, for slowfermentations within a temperature range of 75-86° with an alcohol ceiling of 15%. This is not an easystrain to use, but can produce good results when carefully rehydrated following Lallemand'srecommendations and inoculated into must with balanced nutrients.

Lalvin BM45

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This strain was selected from many world class Brunello di Montalcino fermentations forits enological characteristics. It is a relatively slow starter, well adapted to long maceration programswithin a 64-82° temperature range. It has high nitrogen requirements and can produce H2S if nutrient-starved. It produces high levels of polysaccharides and therefore wines with increased mouth feel. Ittends to bring out aromas in Sangiovese described as fruit jams, rose and cherry liquors, with evidentand clean notes of sweet spices, licorice and cedar. It also is used to minimize vegetal characteristics and

can be used with Chardonnay as a blending component to increase mouth feel. With a 16% alcoholtoxicity ceiling, it reliably ferments to dryness.

Lalvin BRL97

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This Barolo strain was selected from over 600 isolates taken from 31 wineries of theBarolo region as a natural yeast from Nebbiolo able to retain and enhance color. It is a fast starter andmoderately speedy fermenter within a temperature range of 63-84° F. that demonstrates good MLFcompatibility. It is recommended for its color stabilization and sensory contributions in heavier structuredreds such as Zinfandel, Barbera, Merlot and Nebbiolo. It enhances color stability, maintains structure andis favored when long aging is planned. It ferments to 16% alcohol and has moderate nitrogen needs.

Lalvin CSM

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Isolated in Bordeaux for Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It favors colorand phenolic extraction, is red fruit driven, reduces vegetal aromas and adds complexity along withbalanced, round mouth feel. Its optimum fermentation range is between 59-89° F. and it does not handlealcohols above 14%. This strain requires high levels of nitrogen and nutrients but will promote malolacticfermentation.

Lalvin CY3079

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This strain was selected from fermentations in the Burgundy region to complement thetypical white Burgundy styles of winemaking. It is a slow, steady fermenter even at cooler temperatures(60-86° F), demonstrates a good alcohol tolerance (15%), and produces few volatile acids and H2S if itsheight nitrogen needs are met. It is highly recommended for barrel fermentation and sur lie aging of Chardonnay. It releases peptides at the end of fermentation that is believed to enhance many aromas,such as fresh butter, honey, white flowers, and pineapple. In both the Chablis and Montrachet regionsbarrel fermentations with this strain showed richer, fuller mouth feel compared to other strains.

Lalvin DV10

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This is "the original Champagne isolate," according to Lallemand, known in other contextsas Epernay. Its fermentation kinetics is strong over a wide temperature range (50-96° F) with relativelylow oxygen and nitrogen demands. It is one of the most widely used strains in Champagne and is knownfor clean fermentations that respect varietal character while avoiding bitter sensory contributionsassociated with many other strains. It is highly recommended for both premium white and red parietals,mead and cider production, and many fruit, berry, vegetable, and herb wines. It is a fast fermenter withan 18% alcohol tolerance, is famous for its ability to ferment under stressful conditions of low pH, hightotal SO2, and is low foaming with low volatile acid production.

Lalvin EC-1118 (Prise de Mousse)

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This is the original, steady, low foamer, excellent for barrelfermentation or for working on heavy suspended pulps. It is one of the most popular wine yeasts in theworld. It ferments well at low temperatures, flocculates well, and produces very compact lees. It is goodfor Champagne bases, secondary (bottle) fermentations, restarting stuck fermentations, and for lateharvest grapes. It is also the yeast of choice for apple, crabapple, cranberry, hawthorn, and cherry wines.It has excellent organoleptic properties and should be in every vintner’s refrigerator. Alcohol toxicity is18% and it ferments relatively fast. It tolerates temperatures from 39-95° F. It is not, however, tolerantof concurrent malolactic fermentation.

Lalvin ICV-D21 (Languedoc)

: This strain was isolated in 1999 for fermenting red wines with stablecolor, intense fore-mouth and mid-palate tannin structure, and fresher aftertaste. It contributespolysaccharides and retains higher acidity, inhibiting development of cooked jam and burning-alcoholsensations in highly mature and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. It produces veryfew sulfur compounds, allows the expression of fruit from the grapes while reducing the potential forherbaceous characters in Cabernet Sauvignon. When blended with wines fermented with ICV-D254 andICV-D80, wines fermented with ICV-D21 bring fresher, deep fruit and continuous intense sensationsbeginning in the fore-mouth and carrying through to the aftertaste. It is almost as desirable a strain forwhites as for reds, is a moderately fast fermenter with a temperature range of 64-96°, and an alcoholtolerance to 16%.

Lalvin ICV-D47 (Côtes-du-Rhône)

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This is a low-foaming quick fermenter that settles well and formscompact lees at the end of fermentation, although when left on the lees, ripe spicy aromas with tropicaland citrus notes develop. This strain tolerates fermentation temperatures ranging from 50° to 86° F. andenhances mouth feel due to complex carbohydrates and high polysaccharide production. Malolacticfermentation proceeds well in wine made with

ICV-D47

. This strain is recommended for making winesfrom white varieties such as Chardonnay and for rosé style wines. It is ideal for persimmon, peach,nectarine, paw-paw, and mango, as well as aromatic wines such as rose petal, elderflower, anise and

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