Yeast strains for lees stirring

I like strains that don't have a tendency to form H2S. Of course _all_ strains form at least _some_ H2S, but some are much worse than others in this regard.

I've been using Lallemand CY3079 for the past few years with no problems. I used Epernay II (Côte de Blancs) prior to that - also with no problem.

Tom S

Tom,

Thanks for the reply. Would you care to comment on how each yeast contributes differently (or have you not noticed a difference) to the wine due to lees stirring?

Epernay II is EC1118 right? If so, I'd imagine it as a potentially good candidate given it's Champagne genetics (I've currently got a batch fermenting under it which I intend to lees stir with).

Have you ever used K1-V1116 for lees stirring?

Ben

Wrong! EC1118 is Prise de Mousse, which is a very vigorous Bayanus strain.

Epernay II is also known as Côte de Blancs. It is a very slow, steady, low-foaming strain that has a wonderful fragrance. I would use nothing else for white wines - except that it tends to stick off-dry. It seems to have low alcohol tolerance. That makes it a great strain for sweet wines, but a PIA for dry wines.

No, I can't say I have. I'm experimenting with a couple of new strains this year: D254 and VL2. I'll probably do the bulk of my Chardonnay with CY3079, but these others sounded interesting.

I'm also experimenting with a new Hungarian barrel (François Freres, Medium+ toast) this year. French oak has gotten so ridiculously expen$ive that I'm pursuing alternatives. Ask me in 6 months what I think of Hungarian oak.

Tom S

Ben, when you ask questions, they certainly are good ones. This one is no exception.

I suppose the most stirred yeast in America is Lalvin CY3079, the runaway favorite for Chardonnay. I use this yeast now for many other whites (a winemaker was good enough to gift me a small tin of it) and it does like being stirred. I made very buttery kiwi and mangosteen wines (no, the latter are not Kosher mangos but rather a separate, unrelated Asian fruit) recently. I have also stirred a batch of rose petal wine made with SB 5 (Hock) and was very pleased.

For reds, I have been using both Lalvin AMH and RC212 with lees stirring. I share Tom's concern about strains prone to H2S production and RC212 fits that profile, but it is such a reliable strain for blackberries that I must use it. Two very buttery batches of blackberry wine have proven to me its worth sur lie. The Assmanshausen (another gift) has worked well with my native mustang and V. berlandieri grapes, as well as black cherry. Both of these yeast strains benefit from nitrogen-enriched nutrients, which also lowers the risk of H2S.

Jack Keller, The Winemaking Home Page

Jack,

Thanks for the response. Sounds like I should get some CY3079 - I am aware that this strain actually releases peptides at the end of fermentation that are believed to enhance aromatics so it makes sense it's such a favourite.

Have you noticed a significant difference in the leesy character associated with different yeasts (e.g. between AMH and RC212) - or do they all seem similar?

BTW, Tom, let us know how those new strains work out. I've also heard good things about Hungarian oak.

Ben

Ben,

Damn Google swallowed my response after 20 minutes of typing. This reply will be shorter, I'm afraid.

I could not really tell a difference as the wines were so varied. The AMH was used on two grape species and black cherry from concentrate and the RC212 used with two batches of blackberry. No similarity to hook onto as a point of reference for differences -- even the blackberries had very different fruit quantities.

Jack Keller, The Winemaking Home Page