WineXpert How Critical Are Fermentation Temp Guidelines?

[NoSnob]

Making a WE SE Lodi Old Vines Zin. Everything ready to go until I was ready to pitch the yeast & noted directions said to not proceed until temperatures are between 72 & 75F. I haven't paid a lot of attention to my kit wine temps but this is very narrow. Ordinarily this would not be a problem anyway, especially in the winter in Florida. Temp inside our home (with no AC or heat) is 76F. The kit box sat for weeks inside so it was well acclimated. But, following the directions, we used warm water to mix with the bentonite and to top up to 6 gal mark on fermenter.
Our final temp was 82F -- much higher than WE recommended range of 72-75F.

We deferred pitching the yeast, turned the AC on (this is FEB.) and placed a small icepack (wet towel placed in freezer) around the fermenter. It is coming down & I know it will be down soon.

But here is my question: How critical is the 72-75 temp range WE recommends?

NS

 

[Tom]

That is the best temp for the yeast. The colder it goes the slower the ferment, the warmes the temp the faster the fermrnt. Both can bring in off flavors.
Once you get below 80* then rehydrate the yeast and add.

 

[Flem]

+1 to what Tom said. If you're a couple of degrees either way, you'll be fine.

 

[robie]

I agree with Tom and Flem. Once fermentation gets really going, the wine will really start heating up. Try to keep it from getting over about 88F, if possible.

 

[NoSnob]

Thanks to all. Being Florida (with temp fluctuations), it cooled off considerably and now the AC is off, the heat is on and I'm trying to ensure the fermentation temp stays warm enough! Fermentation has begun though and the must is right at 72.

If my notes are correct, instructions for the following WE kits call for 65-75F fermentation temperatures: Italian Barolo, Lodi Ranch Cab Sauv, Sonoma Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauv-Merlot, Wash. Columbia Valley Riesling, and Mosel Valley Gewurztraminer. All are WE SE except the Cab-Merlot blend which is WE Orig. Only my most recent WE SE kits, the Sonoma Dry Creek Valley Chardonnay and the Lodi Old Vines Zin, require 72-75F.

Don't know if WE has recently begun using a different yeast & thus narrowing its recommended fermentation range or if I just happened to choose two recent kits with the narrow range. The yeast with the Lodi Old Vines Zin is Red Star Premium Cuvee. Kit instructions say emphatically not to proceed pitching the yeast until the must is at that temperature.

NS