Yeast Strains Chart - WineMakerMag.com (original) (raw)

Five companies – Lallemand (Lalvin), Red Star, Vintner’s Harvest, White Labs, and Wyeast – produce the vast majority of wine-yeast used by home wine makers in North America. Here’s an up-to-date overview of the yeast strains these firms sell in small packages intended for home hobbyists, which is generally five grams for dry yeast packets and 35 to 175 mL for liquid vials or packets. In either format, this is the right amount to inoculate a 5-gallon (19-L) batch. There are other companies and other strains, but these are the most common; you can find them at most home winemaking supply stores.

Company

Yeast Name

Dry/
Liquid

Temperature Range

Alcohol Tolerance (%ABV)

Description

Lalvin

71B-1122 Narbonne

Dry

59-86 °F
(15-32 °C)

14%

A semi-dry white wine yeast that will enhance fruit flavors and add fruity esters. Can be used with whites, rosés, nouveaus, and concentrates.

Lalvin

BM 4X4 Red Wine

Dry

60-82 °F
(16-28 °C)

16%

A blend of strains formulated for reliability under difficult conditions. Gives a dependable fermentation with increased mouthfeel, and enhances tobacco, cedar, leather and jam characteristics.

Lalvin

D-47 White Wine

Dry

50-86 °F
(10-30 °C)

14%

Leaves a wine very full bodied with enhanced mouthfeel. Accentuates varietal character and contributes ripe tropical fruit and citrus notes.

Lalvin

EC-1118 Prise de Mousse

Dry

45-95 °F
(7-35 °C)

18%

A low foaming, vigorous and fast fermenter good for both reds and whites. It is also ideal for ciders and sparkling wines.

Lalvin

ICV-K1-V1116 Motpellier White Wine

Dry

59-86 °F
(15-30 °C)

18%

A vigorous and competitive fermenter that, because of its neutral effect on varietal character, is very well suited to fruit wines as well as wines to be made from grapes.

Lalvin

QA23 White Wine

Dry

59-89 °F
(15-32 °C)

16%

Portuguese isolate used for production of fresh, fruity, white wines. Will not give structure to a wine, but it excels at focusing the fruit either alone or as part of a blend.

Lalvin

RC-212 Red Wine

Dry

59-86 °F
(15-30 °C)

14%

Ideal for full bodied red wines. Emphasizes fruit and spice notes, accentuates character in red grapes.

Red Star

Cote Des Blanc

Dry

55-86 °F
(13-30 °C)

14%

One of the most traditional aromatic strains for white wines. An excellent choice for fruity wines.

Red Star

Montrachet

Dry

54-95 °F
(12-35 °C)

15%

A very good fermenter with regular kinetics. Good alcohol tolerance that is useful in producing dry, full-bodied red and white wines. Excellent choice for oak barrel fermentation.

Red Star

Pasteur Blanc (ex Pasteur Champagne)

Dry

50-95 °F
(10-35 °C)

18%

All-purpose and vigorous, a moderately foaming and sulfite-tolerant strain useful in producing white and red wines. Extremely good fermenter. Very high alcohol tolerance. Recommended for treating stuck fermentations.

Red Star

Pasteur Red

Dry

63-86 °F
(17-30 °C)

15%

One of the best choices for quality red wines. Encourages development of varietal fruit flavors, balanced by complex aromas.

Red Star

Premier Cuvee

Dry

50-104 °F
(10-40 °C)

16%

One of the fastest, cleanest, and most neutral of all Red Star wine yeasts. Recommended for reds, whites and especially sparkling wines. Excellent choice for oak barrel fermentations.

Vintner’s Harvest

AW4 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Dry

68-77 °F
(20–25 °C)

14.5%

Noted for developing powerfully fragrant, full-spice aromatic wines and is a perfect match for Germanic aromatic white wines.

Vintner’s Harvest

BV7 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Dry

59-86 °F
(15–30 °C)

13%

Ideal for full-bodied, full-flavored dry and sweet white wines.

Vintner’s Harvest

CL23 Saccharomyces Bavanus

Dry

46-75 °F
(7–24 °C)

18%

Ideal for crisp, fresh dry white/blush and all sparkling wines. Also for high-alcohol tolerance.

Vintner’s Harvest

CR51 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Dry

72-86 °F
(22–30 °C)

13.5%

Ideal for light, fruity red wines for early consumption

Vintner’s Harvest

CY17 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Dry

72-86 °F
(22–30 °C)

15%

Ideal for sweet white/blush and dessert wines from grape and particularly from country fruits and flowers.

Vintner’s Harvest

MA33 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Dry

64-80 °F
(18–27 °C)

14%

Acid reducing strain excellent for fruity white & blush country wines especially where residual sugars are desired.

Vintner’s Harvest

R56 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Dry

72-86 °F
(22–30 °C)

13.5%

Ideally suited for rich, full bodied red wines with exceptional flavor complexity.

Vintner’s Harvest

SN9 Saccharomyces Bavanus

Dry

68-75 °F
(20–24 °C)

18%

Good choice for high alcohol and fortified wines but also for most country wines, sweet sparkling wines and ciders.

Vintner’s Harvest

VR21 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Dry

68-75 °F
(20–24 °C)

15%

Ideal for full fruit varietal and country red wines promoting good structure, balance and color.

White Labs

WLP700 Flor Sherry

Liquid

>70 °F
(>21 °C)

16%

Develops a film (flor) on the surface of the wine. Creates green almond, granny smith, and nougat characteristics found in Sherry.

White Labs

WLP705 Sake

Liquid

>70 °F
(>21 °C)

16%

For rice-based fermentations. Produces full body sake character, and subtle fragrance.

White Labs

WLP707 California Pinot Noir

Liquid

>70 °F
(>21 °C)

16%

Produces fruity and complex aromas. An ideal choice for hardy red wine varieties, as well as aromatic whites such as Chardonnay.

White Labs

WLP709 Sake #9

Liquid

62-68 °F
(17-20 °C)

15–16%

For use in rice-based fermentations. Traditional strain used in Ginjo-shu production because of the yeast’s development of high fragrance components.

White Labs

WLP715 Champagne

Liquid

70-75 °F
(21-24 °C)

17%

Neutral, classic yeast, used to produce sparkling wine, cider, dry meads, and dry wines.

White Labs

WLP718 Avise Wine Yeast

Liquid

60-90 °F
(16-32 °C)

15%

Champagne isolate used for complexity in whites. Contributes elegance, especially in barrel-fermented Chardonnays.

White Labs

WLP720 Sweet Mead and Wine

Liquid

70-75 °F
(21-24 °C)

15%

Less attenuative than WLP715, leaving some residual sweetness. Slightly fruity, a good choice for sweet mead, cider, as well as blush wines, Gewürztraminer, Sauternes, and Riesling.

White Labs

WLP727 Steinberg-Geisenheim

Liquid

50-90 °F
(10-32 °C)

14%

High fruit/ester production. Perfect for Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Moderate fermentation characteristics and cold-tolerant.

White Labs

WLP730 Chardonnay White Wine

Liquid

50-90 °F
(10-32 °C)

14%

Dry wine yeast with moderate fermentation speed. Slight ester production, low sulfur dioxide production. A good choice for all white and blush wines.

White Labs

WLP735 French White Wine Yeast

Liquid

60-90 °F
(16-32 °C)

16%

Classic yeast for white wine fermentation. Slow to moderate fermenter and foam producer. Gives an enhanced creamy texture.

White Labs

WLP740 Merlot Red Wine Yeast

Liquid

60-90 °F
(16-32 °C)

18%

Neutral, low fusel alcohol production. Vigorous fermentation.

White Labs

WLP749 Assmanshausen

Liquid

50-90 °F
(10-32 °C)

16%

German red wine yeast, which results in spicy, fruit aromas. Perfect for Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Slow to moderate fermenter which is cold tolerant.

White Labs

WLP750 French Red Wine Yeast

Liquid

60-90 °F
(16-32 °C)

17%

Classic Bordeaux yeast for red wine fermentations. Moderate fermentation characteristics. Tolerates lower fermentation temperatures. Rich, smooth flavor profile.

White Labs

WLP760 Cabernet Red Wine Yeast

Liquid

60-90 °F
(16-32 °C)

16%

Moderate fermentation speed. Excellent for full-bodied red wines, ester production complements flavor.

White Labs

WLP770 Suremain Burgundy Wine Yeast

Liquid

60-90 °F
(16-32 °C)

16%

Emphasizes fruit aromas in barrel fermentations. High nutrient requirement to avoid volatile acidity production.

White Labs

WLP775 English Cider

Liquid

68-75 °F
(20-24 °C)

Medium-High

Ferments dry, but retains flavor from apples. Sulfur is produced during fermentation, but will disappear in first two weeks of aging.

Wyeast

4021 Dry White/Sparkling

Liquid

55-75 °F
(13-24 °C)

17%

Ferments crisp and dry, ideal for base wines in making sparkling wine. Low foaming, excellent barrel fermentation, good flocculating characteristics.

Wyeast

4028 Red

Liquid

55-90 °F,
(13-32 °C)

14%

Ideal for red or white wines that mature rapidly with Beaujolais type fruitiness, and for bigger reds requiring aging. Low foaming, low sulfur production.

Wyeast

4134 Sake

Liquid

60-75 °F
(15-24 °C)

14%

Sake #9 used in conjunction with Koji for making wide variety of Asian Jius (rice based beverages). Full bodied profile, silky and smooth on palate with low ester production.

Wyeast

4184 Sweet Mead

Liquid

65-75 °F
(18-24 °C)

11%

Leaves 2-3% residual sugar in most meads. Rich, fruity profile complements fruit mead fermentation. Use additional nutrients for mead making.

Wyeast

4242 Fruity White

Liquid

55-75 °F
(13-24 °C)

12-13%

Produces extremely fruity profile, high ester formation, bready aromas with vanilla notes.

Wyeast

4244 Italian Red

Liquid

55-75 °F
(13-24 °C)

14%

Rich, very big and bold, well-rounded profile. Nice soft fruit character with dry crisp finish.

Wyeast

4267 Summation

Liquid

60-90°F,
(15-32 °C)

14%

Produces distinctive intense berry, graham cracker nose. Jammy, rich, very smooth complex profile, slightly vinous.

Wyeast

4632 Dry Mead

Liquid

55-75 °F
(13-24 °C)

18%

Low foaming with little or no sulfur production. Use additional nutrients for mead making.

Wyeast

4766 Cider

Liquid

60-75 °F
(15-24 °C)

12%

Crisp and dry fermenting yeast with big, fruity finish. Creates a nice balance for all types of apples, pears, and other fruit. Allows fruit character to dominate the profile

Wyeast

4767 Dry/Fortified

Liquid

60-90°F,
(15-32 °C)

14%

Mild toast and vanilla nose. Mild fruit profile with balanced depth and complexity. Very dry finish. Dry red and white wines.

Wyeast

4783 Sweet White

Liquid

55-75 °F
(13-24 °C)

14%

Produces distinct Riesling character. Rich flavor, creamy, fruity profile with nice dry finish and a hint of Riesling sweetness in the aftertaste.

Wyeast

4946 Bold Red/High Alcohol

Liquid

60-85 °F
(15–29 °C)

18%

Dominating, strong fermentation characteristics. Ideal for Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Syrah, or any high sugar must. Good choice for restarting stuck fermentations.