Popular Wine Making Yeasts

There are over 100 yeasts that may be used in wine production to produce wine with some very special characteristics. However, most winemakers need only know the more common yeasts which are described below. These yeasts will accomplish most tasks and are readily available.

• Assmannshausen is a German yeast strain best suited for red wines. It intensifies the color and adds a spicy aroma.
• Epernay yeast produces delicate fruity aroma in young wines. It will produce a nice residual sugar in wines with high Brix values.
• Lalvin K1-V1116 (Montpellier)  is perfect for lighter fruitier wines such as Sauvignon Blanc. It will preserve fruit and floral aromas and flavors. It will not allow malolactic fermentation.
• Montrachet is the most popular for both red and white wine fermentations. Montrachet Red for reds and Montrachet White for the whites. Montrachet is noted for low volatile acidity, good complex flavors, and intense color.  It will not work well for grapes with high sugar levels
• Pasteur Red or French Red is an excellent choice for full bodied red wines. It has good color extraction and produces a clean fermentation. It was developed in Bordeaux and is used for all the reds traditionally from this region.
• Pasteur White or French White ferments slowly in colder temperatures. It should only be used in stainless steel since it produces a lot of foam.
• Prise de Mousse or Premier Curvee is an excellent, general purpose yeast for both red and white wines. It can also used to restart fermentation because it will work in high alcohol levels. It is also very simple to use and control.
• Steinberg is the yeast of choice for Riesling and Gewurztraminer wines, especially when a cold fermentation is desirable. This yeast will produce a bouquet of fruit aromas and flavors.