Popular Wine Yeasts for Home Wine Making
Best Choices of Wine Yeasts for Red Wines
Lalvin K1-V1116 Wine Yeast: The Floral Aroma Enhancer
Discover the magic of Lalvin K1-V1116 Wine Yeast, your secret weapon for crafting wines with exceptional floral and fruity notes. This yeast is a favorite among winemakers for its ability to enhance the aroma profile of many wine styles, especially when fermented at cooler temperatures. With a high tolerance for tough conditions, including low nutrient musts, K1-V1116 is your go-to for bringing out the best in your grapes and fruit wines.
- Wine Style Usage: Floral white and aromatic red fruit wines, late harvest wines, ice wines
- Aroma Profile: Flowery ester, fresh red fruit, banana
- Alcohol Tolerance: up to 18%
- Temperature Range: 50°F - 95°F
Lalvin RC 212 Wine Yeast: The Red Wine Extraction Expert
Dive into the art of red winemaking with Lalvin RC 212 Wine Yeast, renowned for its exceptional ability to enhance color, structure, and aroma in red wines. Specially selected from the Burgundy region, this yeast is your secret weapon for achieving elegant reds with rich, berry-forward and spicy notes. Its low foaming nature and moderate fermentation speed make it a winemaker's choice for creating wines with depth and complexity, especially in varieties where full extraction is desired.
- Wine Style Usage: Delicate and elegant reds, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Zinfandel
- Aroma Profile: Ripe cherry, bright fruity and spicy characteristics.
- Alcohol Tolerance: Up to 16%
- Temperature Range: 64°F - 86°F
Red Star Premier Classique (formerly Montrachet) Wine Yeast: The Robust Winemaker's Ally
Experience the legendary robustness of Red Star Premier Classique, previously known as Montrachet Wine Yeast, a go-to choice for winemakers aiming for wines with depth and complexity. This yeast excels at bringing out the best in your reds, contributing to a rich aroma profile while ensuring a clean, crisp finish. With a high tolerance for alcohol and a broad fermentation temperature range, Premier Classique is versatile enough for a wide array of wine styles, making it a staple in both amateur and professional winemaking circles. This yeast will produce hydrogen sulfide gas in the presence of excess sulfur compounds and therefore should not be used to ferment grapes that contain residual sulfur dust.
- Wine Style Usage: Reds, whites, ciders, meads, dark berry and elderberry wines
- Aroma Profile: Rich, complex, clean
- Alcohol Tolerance: Up to 15%
- Temperature Range: 59°F - 95°F
Red Star Premier Rouge Wine Yeast: The Red Wine Powerhouse
Unleash the full potential of your red wines with Red Star Premier Rouge Wine Yeast, formerly known as Pasteur Red, a classic choice for crafting robust and flavorful reds. This yeast shines in enhancing the rich, fruity aroma profile of red grape varieties, making it a top pick for winemakers aiming for deep, complex wines. With its strong fermentation capabilities and high alcohol tolerance, Premier Rouge is perfect for producing full-bodied reds aged in oak barrels, whether you're working with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, or Merlot.
- Wine Style Usage: Reds, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel
- Aroma Profile: Rich, fruity, complex
- Alcohol Tolerance: Up to 15%
- Temperature Range: 64°F - 86°F
Best Choices of Wine Yeast for White Wines
Lalvin 71B 1122 Wine Yeast: The Aroma Booster for Fruit-Forward Wines
Unlock the potential of your aromatic whites, rosés, and meads with Lalvin 71B 1122 Wine Yeast, specifically designed for enhancing wine's aroma profile. This yeast is renowned for its ability to release bound terpenoids, resulting in wines that burst with floral and fruit aromas. Ideal for semi-sweet to sweet wine styles, 71B also helps in reducing the perception of vegetal flavors, making it a perfect match for grapes with high acidity or less mature fruit. Its quick fermentation and good alcohol tolerance make it a versatile choice for winemakers looking to produce wines with character. Cabernet Franc, Gewürztraminer, Grenache, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Viognier, Zinfandel and Gamay
- Wine Style Usage: Reds, rosés, and whites. Young, fresh, and fruity wines with smooth tannin structure as well as meads and fruit ciders.
- Aroma Profile: Tropical fruit, strawberry and banana flavor
- Alcohol Tolerance: Up to 14%
- Temperature Range: 59°F - 86°F
Lalvin ICV D-47 Wine Yeast - The Versatile Choice for Aromatic White and Rosé Wines
Lalvin ICV D-47 wine yeast, originating from the Côtes du Rhône, France, is renowned for its ability to enhance the complexity and mouthfeel of dry white, rosé, and blush wines. It's particularly celebrated for producing wines with a full body, ripe fruit flavors, and spicy undertones, making it ideal for winemakers looking to add character and depth to their products. D-47 is noted for its effectiveness in both tank and barrel fermentation, especially when lees aging is employed to develop richer, more complex flavors.Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier
- Wine Style Usage: Complex white and Rosé wines with citrus and ‑oral notes. Useful for a wide range of applications, including mead and fruit cider fermentations.
- Aroma Profile: Citrus, tropical fruit, stone fruit, floral notes
- Alcohol Tolerance: Up to 15%
- Temperature range: 59-86°F
Red Star Cotes des Blancs Wine Yeast: The Fruity Aroma Specialist
Dive into the world of winemaking with Red Star Cotes des Blancs Wine Yeast, a yeast that's all about enhancing the fruity and floral aromas in your wines. Perfect for those aiming to produce wines with a delicate yet distinct character, this yeast works wonders in both white and red wines, bringing out the best in your fruit. Known for its slower fermentation which allows for more control over residual sugar, Cotes des Blancs is your ally for creating both crisp, aromatic whites and complex, fruit-forward reds.
- Wine Style Usage: Whites especially Chardonnay, reds, sparkling wines, ciders, fruit wines
- Aroma Profile: Fruity, floral, fine esters
- Alcohol Tolerance: 12% - 14%
- Temperature Range: 64°F - 86°F
Neutral All Purpose Wine Yeasts
EC-1118 Wine Yeast: The Versatile Fermentation Champion
Meet EC-1118 Wine Yeast, the go-to choice for winemakers seeking a robust, reliable fermentation partner. This yeast is famous for its neutral aroma yeast profile, making it ideal for a wide range of wine styles where you want the grape's natural flavors to shine. Known for its high alcohol tolerance and ability to ferment across a broad temperature range, EC-1118 is perfect for both beginners and seasoned winemakers looking to achieve consistent, high-quality results in their winemaking journey.
- Wine Style Usage: Suitable for all grape varieties, sparkling wines, fruit ciders and mead
- Aroma Profile: Neutral, minimal contribution
- Alcohol Tolerance: Up to 18%
- Temperature Range: 50°F - 86°F
Red Star Premier Blanc Wine Yeast: The Classic Fermentation Choice
Embrace the versatility of Red Star Premier Blanc Wine Yeast, previously known as Pasteur Champagne, which has been a staple in winemaking since 1968. This yeast is renowned for its neutral aroma yeast profile, making it an excellent choice for winemakers looking to highlight the natural characteristics of their grapes. With its high alcohol tolerance and ability to ferment across a wide temperature range, Premier Blanc is perfect for a variety of wines, from dry whites to robust reds, ensuring your fermentation process is as smooth as your final product.
- Wine Style Usage: Dry whites, reds, ciders, meads, port, fruit wines
- Aroma Profile: Neutral, clean
- Alcohol Tolerance: Up to 16%
- Temperature Range: 59°F - 86°F
Red Star Premier Blanc Wine Yeast: The Classic Fermentation Choice
Embrace the versatility of Red Star Premier Blanc Wine Yeast, previously known as Pasteur Champagne, which has been a staple in winemaking since 1968. This yeast is renowned for its neutral aroma yeast profile, making it an excellent choice for winemakers looking to highlight the natural characteristics of their grapes. With its high alcohol tolerance and ability to ferment across a wide temperature range, Premier Blanc is perfect for a variety of wines, from dry whites to robust reds, ensuring your fermentation process is as smooth as your final product.
- Wine Style Usage: Dry whites, reds, ciders, meads, port, fruit wines
- Aroma Profile: Neutral, clean
- Alcohol Tolerance: Up to 16%
- Temperature Range: 59°F - 86°F
