Cultured Yeasts

[Grancru]

I have been making meads for about a year now and have about 140 gallons aging. This fall I made my first 25 gallons of Cabernet Sauvignon and fermented using the natural yeasts on the grapes. So far it tastes as good as any 2 year bottle on the store shelves.

Next year I am going to increase production but will kill off the natural yeast and use a cultured yeast. I have no experience with cultured yeasts for Cab. Can anyone direct me to the best yeast for Cabernets, Merlots, and Zinfendals?

 

[Justibone]

I don't think which type of yeast matters quite as much for wines as it does for beers. I've used montrachet, champagne, lalvin ec-1118(?) and other types... they all do pretty much the same thing. Some make the wine drier than others, but if you're doing a Cab you probably want it nice and dry.

As a noob just stabbing in the dark, I'd think about a champagne yeast for the Cab, montrachet for the merlot, and I don't know for the Zin. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Hopefully someone else with more experience will correct me.

 

[Gibbs]

Uvaferm 43 is what we use at the winery for all the Red Wine fermentations. It encourages fruit forward characters, is very alcohol tolerant, and easily goes dry. Very strong yeat, it competes with wild or other culture yeasts. D-245 is also a good choice, but for all around either U-43 or Red Star's Pasteur Red.