What's your favorite yeast for bold reds?

[Siwash]

What do you use for cabs, zins, syrahs, etc? I am thinking of trying Red Star's Premier Classique (formerly Montrachet). I'm getting some Nero d'avola fresh juice in October and given that it has some characteristics of syrah, it'll be either the Red Star or my go-to, BM 4x4. What have others used with success?

 

[CDrew]

Consider the Renaissance yeasts like Bravo or Avante. I've been on the Bravo train this year, but in past years have used Avante extensively. Avante is a super strong performer and once fermentation starts, you're on the fast train to bone dry. I've had complete fermentation in 4 days. Good stuff, no possibility of H2S. Read up on it as there has been lots of discussion.

 

[Hazelemere]

Lalvin RC 212 add high quality nutrient containing B vitamins and ammonium phosphate. Pasteur Red is good too. Leave sulphite out until the end of malolactic fermentation. We've had consistently high quality reds except on 1 occasion with a Washington Syrah destemmed in a barrel with no nutrient that we are in the process of salvaging through aging and dlilution to eliminate a burnt rubber smell caused by hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans during natural malolactic fermentation. RC212 can handle higher alcohol than Pasteur Red. RC 212 wines are rich, spicy and aromatic. We just used it on Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah cut with small amounts of home grown organic Regent and Marechal Foch oaked with medium toast American oak cubes 6 per Imperial gallon during 90-120 say malolactic fermentations. The wines are first class IMHO. We hand destem and ferment uncrushed unsulphited grapes for at least 2 weeks and usually 3 weeks and press with a bladder press at SG ~1.000. We triple press and rack the mixed free run and press wine after 7-10 days and then add the oak cubes to the wine in a dark room at room temperature until the end of malolactic fermentation usually about 90 days and sometimes 120 days. If we suspect contamination before malolactic gassing we add a tiny bit of potassium metabisulphite to the top of the wine to kill mold or bacteria exposed to the small airspace. At the end of MLF we add 1/8th tsp potassium metabisulphite (50 ppm) per imperial Gallon of wine. Every time we rack we add 1/8 tsp to 4.5. or 5 Imperial Gallons which adds ~10 ppm sulphite each time we rack. We bottle our reds at ~75 ppm total sulphite which works out to about 25 ppm free sulphite we use the Regent and Foch to reduce alcohol and improve acid. The tannins are smooth i.e. high skin tannin and low seed tannin. All of the reds are store in a dark cooler in carboys or bottles at 55-59 degrees Fahrenheit. They peak at 7-9 years without any oxidation at this level of sulphiting and light oaking.

 

[Siwash]

Consider the Renaissance yeasts like Bravo or Avante. I've been on the Bravo train this year, but in past years have used Avante extensively. Avante is a super strong performer and once fermentation starts, you're on the fast train to bone dry. I've had complete fermentation in 4 days. Good stuff, no possibility of H2S. Read up on it as there has been lots of discussion.

Just checked out their website - I saw Bravo on their site but not Avante. Did you mean to type Andante?

thanks... may be hard to locate this yeast for me...

 

[CDrew]

So years ago, Avante was called Andante. They stopped that in about 2016. But the website has not kept pace. The current designation is Avante.

 

[Siwash]

So years ago, Avante was called Andante. They stopped that in about 2016. But the website has not kept pace. The current designation is Avante.

I went back to check and there's a U.S. and International catalogue. The U.S. site lists it as Avante and the Intl' as Andante!

So am I to assume they're the exact same yeast? Anyhow, doesn't indicate how to purchase. Do you buy direct from them?

thanks

 

[Siwash]

add high quality nutrient containing B vitamins and ammonium phosphate.

Do you use yeasts starters/energizers or just nutrients? thanks

 

[CDrew]

I went back to check and there's a U.S. and International catalogue. The U.S. site lists it as Avante and the Intl' as Andante!

So am I to assume they're the exact same yeast? Anyhow, doesn't indicate how to purchase. Do you buy direct from them?

thanks

Don't know where you live, but Lodi Wine Labs is a good source. The Beverage People in Sonoma also carry it. Since it's a Canadian product, it all comes to the USA through Gusmer who is the distributor. They are in Fresno and possibly Napa/Sonoma. Just remember that unless you buy from a retailer, you will have to buy 500 gm of yeast. Lodi wine labs and The Beverage people sell smaller amounts.

 

[Siwash]

I'm the Toronto area (Canada). I think it's a Swiss company but seems like their headquarters are in Vancouver.

I'll search around a bit more but otherwise will stick to a lalvin or red star product which are readily available.

Seems like an interesting yeast though...

Thanks

 

[CDrew]

I'm the Toronto area (Canada). I think it's a Swiss company but seems like their headquarters are in Vancouver.

I'll search around a bit more but otherwise will stick to a lalvin or red star product which are readily available.

Seems like an interesting yeast though...

Thanks

There is also Bosa Grape in Canada that many on the forum like. They sell retail packages.

Avante for sale in Canada

 

[Siwash]

I've ordered from Bosa! Forgot about them. Thanks

 

[Siwash]

Just checked - they carry it. But smallest size is 50g. A bit too big. That's equivalent to 10 packets. I make about 6 batches every 2 years so I'd have to freeze the package.

 

[winemaker81]

Just checked - they carry it. But smallest size is 50g. A bit too big. That's equivalent to 10 packets. I make about 6 batches every 2 years so I'd have to freeze the package.

Refrigerate, don't freeze. This is from yeast vendors.

I purchased 500 g a year ago from Lodi Labs, splitting it with an acquaintance. I figured that it made more sense to buy the larger package due to the cost of shipping. I recently made a starter and the yeast activated quickly, so it should be good for another year or 2. On the plus side, I have yeast handy whenever I need it!

 

[hawkwing]

I wonder why you can’t freeze dry yeast. I have always frozen bakers yeast.

 

[Siwash]

Someone posted something a while back here that came from Lalvin that said yeast can be frozen.

 

[Siwash]

Btw, can Bravo or Avante be used for whites too?

 

[CDrew]

Btw, can Bravo or Avante be used for whites too?

Likely yes, but they also make several H2S preventing white wine yeasts.

I did make a Rose with Avante and it went off perfectly well.

 

[NorCal]

Another Avante fan. Got on that train in 2016. D80/D254 split batches for big reds was my favorite prior.

 

[Siwash]

Do you all use nutrients? I've used Fermaid K and Go-Ferm

 

[NorCal]

Because I know the grapes I get typically lack the proper nutrients, I use Go-Ferm, FermK and Acti-ML.