My New Wine Started Without yeast???

Natural yeast is always present and will start fermentation if you don't. Lots of wines are made with natural yeast, but the danger for you is that you don't know what kind of yeast you have fermenting your wine. Klockera, Brettanomyces and others will give off flavors. Since fermentation just started, just inoculate with your cultured yeast which will more than likely kill off or overtake the natural yeast quickly and give you a good result. The Campden tablet was a good idea as many wild yeasts are sensitive to SO2.

Good Luck,

John

John, Wow I had no idea, thanks! Should I wait for a day before putting in the "good" yeast since I just put in the campden? thanks again! Nathan

don't wait, just put in your wine yeast right away

Jake

stilettora> John,

Will Do. Question though, all the recipes that I've been following always have me add the yeast 24 hours after the campden tablet. I always figured that was because the campden would kill off the yeast before it could start doing it's job. Not true? Thanks again all!

Nathan

Modern cultured yeast are tolerant of quite a bit of SO2, so I think you're safe putting the yeast in right away. You're right that many sources say to wait 24 hours, but I don't think it's necessary, especially if you prepare the yeast correctly by making a starter.

Regards,

Most of those recipes were written many years ago, or by people who learned winemaking lore from those books.

It used to be true that the sulfite would kill off the good yeast with the bad, which is why the 24 hour waiting period was specified. But most of today's wine-making yeasts are "sulfite-tolerant", so you can (and should) pitch the yeast immediately.