# California Sauv Blanc - Yeast Choices?



## Longtrain (Oct 15, 2014)

I have a bucket of California Sauv Blanc ordered, as it was a great price and I'm a bit low on whites. So, I love the New Zealand Sauv Blanc from the Marlborough region, especially the grapefruit taste, which I find in Kim Crawford wines.

Certainly I understand that I can't turn this juice into a NZ wine, but I was wondering what are the best yeasts to enhance fruit and aroma in Sauv Blancs?

Thanks,

Tony


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## Boatboy24 (Oct 15, 2014)

Here's a good reference: http://www.morebeer.com/public/pdf/wyeastpair.pdf

If you like that grapefruit taste, consider adding some zest to the secondary.


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## ibglowin (Oct 15, 2014)

I have had very good luck with BA11.

BA11 Yeast


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## Boatboy24 (Oct 15, 2014)

ibglowin said:


> I have had very good luck with BA11.
> 
> BA11 Yeast



Yep. I used it on a Viognier juice bucket this spring. It's nice.


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## Longtrain (Oct 15, 2014)

Boatboy24 said:


> Here's a good reference: http://www.morebeer.com/public/pdf/wyeastpair.pdf
> 
> If you like that grapefruit taste, consider adding some zest to the secondary.



Thanks, a few questions:

How much?
Just toss it in or strainer bag? 
Wash the zest with sulfates prior to pitching?
How long or is it just up to my taste?

Tony


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## Boatboy24 (Oct 15, 2014)

Longtrain said:


> Thanks, a few questions:
> 
> How much?
> Just toss it in or strainer bag?
> ...



Joeswine is the expert in this area and I've only done it once or twice. His "Good Wines Gone Bad" and "Thinking outside the box" threads have several posts on adding zest. I think a little goes a long way. By a little, I mean a teaspoon or less. But it is all up to personal taste. I'd give it a quick rinse, yes. And get organic if you can. The others have a wax coating on them. It is probably harmless, but if given the choice to not have it go into the wine, I'd take it.


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## randomhero (Oct 15, 2014)

I've used qa23 yeast on a few different whites and it has been great with all of them! Recently I did 30 gallons of cayuga white with 5 different types of yeasts and so far qa23 is the winner with taste and aroma.


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## Longtrain (Nov 23, 2014)

Used the BA11, slow steady fermentation, transferred to secondary @ 1.010, finished .996. Cleared, racked and added zest of 1/2 organic grapefruit for a couple of weeks, will then rack off and age for 6 months.


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## JohnT (Nov 25, 2014)

i like RC 212.


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## Wild Duk (Nov 25, 2014)

http://morewinemaking.com/products/dry-wine-yeast-vl3.html

Used this on last years Sauv. Blanc and was very happy with it. Fermented at 60 degrees. 



Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making


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## Longtrain (Dec 3, 2014)

Wine cleared well, racked off the zest, don't really smell or taste grapefruit as yet, just really green wine at this point. I report back in a few months and see if it made a difference.

That VL3 looks interesting for future consideration.


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