Yeast Pairing for Chilean Juice/Grapes

[Boatboy24]

Hi All:

I'm getting excited about my first juice bucket and fresh grape experience and am thinking of blending yeasts. A little background: I'll be doing a Carmenere and a Malbec and am getting 1 6gallon bucket and 1 lug (18lbs) of each variety. I am going to try blending some of this, and will keep some of each varietal bottled on it's own. How much just depends on how good the blending turns out. I'll split each into two batches. For the Malbec, I'm thinking of using D-254 and D-80. For the Carmenere, my thought is to go with BM45 and D-21. I could also use the D254/D80 mix.

Any thoughts? Am I crazy? Overthinking this? Got a bad mix?

I appreciate any input.

Jim

 

[Pumpkinman]

For Carmenere and Malbec I'd use one of the following D254 , BM4x4 , BM45. RC212, D80
IF you plan on using more than one yeast, I wouldn't blend them, I would stagger them, this is the advice that I have gotten from the Head Wine maker at a local winery.

 

[Boatboy24]

Thanks Tom. The more I think about this, the more I think I'm overcomplicating it. If I blend, I'd end up with two wines fermented with four different yeasts. I may end up just doing one with D254 and one with RC212 and keep it simple. I am still pretty new at this hobby after all, and fewer variables is probably better.

 

[novalou]

For Carmenere and Malbec I'd use one of the following D254 , BM4x4 , BM45. RC212, D80
IF you plan on using more than one yeast, I wouldn't blend them, I would stagger them, this is the advice that I have gotten from the Head Wine maker at a local winery.

Can you explain staggering?

 

[Pumpkinman]

If you blend, there is a chance that the strongest yeast wins and takes over, still not a bad thing, because you've chosen the yeast and the characteristics that you want it to impart on the wine, if you stagger, start fermenting with one yeast, let's say BM45 get the characteristics you want, then pitching another type of yeast, lets say D80 and finish the wine getting the characteristics that if may impart on the wine, I'm told that you can get a nice variation of levels of flavors. I don't know if that is accurate, I haven't tried, I have blended yeasts and liked the results.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Boatboy24, of course we over complicate things.....lol...if we wanted easy, we'd buy a bottle of wine off the shelf at the local liquor store...LOL!!!!!
I'm all for trying new things!!!

 

[novalou]

If you blend, there is a chance that the strongest yeast wins and takes over, still not a bad thing, because you've chosen the yeast and the characteristics that you want it to impart on the wine, if you stagger, start fermenting with one yeast, let's say BM45 get the characteristics you want, then pitching another type of yeast, lets say D80 and finish the wine getting the characteristics that if may impart on the wine, I'm told that you can get a nice variation of levels of flavors. I don't know if that is accurate, I haven't tried, I have blended yeasts and liked the results.

Ah. By blending I was thinking of completely fermenting two batches, each with different yeasts. You could blend the batches after fermentation.

 

[Pumpkinman]

nice, good idea, with two batches, each with its own individual yeast, you will get two different wines, I have done the same with two batches of Amarone.

 

[Boatboy24]

nice, good idea, with two batches, each with its own individual yeast, you will get two different wines, I have done the same with two batches of Amarone.

That was kind of my thought. Since ill be doing a lug and a 6 gallon bucket of each type of wine, I'd split each into two batches. As an example, I'd have a Carmenere fermented with D254, and another fermented with D80. Once fermentation was complete, I'd combine them. I'd take a similar approach with the Malbec. Further down the road, I could then do a blend with the Malbec and Carmenere.

 

[Pumpkinman]

I would almost bet that after you taste how each batch is unique and individually great, you might just keep them as two separate wine, I know that I did!!

 

[Boatboy24]

Think I'll keep it simple my first time around and use D254 on one and RC212 on the other. Now to figure out if I want to try MLF and/or get a barrel for fresh juice.