In wine making, does the type of wine yeast have a lot to do with the final tast?
I have made wine three years in a row with real grapes.
First year, sheraz: not bad 6/10
Second year merlot: great: 9/10
Third year merlot: terrible 2/10 — the wine had bubbles and it smelt bad. It was also very strong in alcohol.
I am suspecting that yeast is behind my problem. I used a general type wine yeast.
thanks!!
I was previously using champagne yeast
Tagged with: alcohol • bubbles • champagne yeast • grapes • terrible 2 • wine yeast
Filed under: All Things Wine
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Yes different yeasts can make a difference on the taste, If you got a wine that had bubbles then the yeast was not fully done fermenting yet and needed more time to age in the carboy.
The bad odor sounds like a bacteria got in it.
Your grapes need to be washed well they have yeast on them.
There are many types of yeast out there just try to follow the right yeast for the right type of wine.
Champagne yeast can get to 21% alcohol.
Isn’t wine supposed to have "Tiny Bubbles?"
I homebrew beer, but many concepts are similar (I think). The quality of the grapes is paramount. 3 years, you’ll have 3 completely different growing seasons. Rainfall, temperture, etc, all affect the taste of the final product. Temperture of the cellar where you let it ferment, maybe that 3rd year it was warmer than the previous 2. (just a few degrees changes taste).
Of course it is the yeast that converts that sugars to CO2 and Alcohol. I’ve made Dunkelweiss that was great and using the same proportions I’ve had batches that are good for boiling brats in but not much else. Could be air leakage, bad grapes, bad yeast. Who knows. If it’s strong in alcohol though, after the 2nd or 3rd bottle do you even notice how it tastes anyway?
I used to make wine and recall the different yeasts but I do not recall weather or not if they affect the taste. What I do recall is that a slight amount of contamination can totally affect and destroy a fine batch of wine. This contamination is generally a bad yeast. One little fruit fly can introduce the bad yeast (picked up from rotting fruit or other decays) and that will eventually contaminate the entire batch because the bad yeast will multiply same as the good.
Cleanliness and sterilization is a must. try campden tablets available from places that sell wine making supplies.
The bubbles indicate incomplete fermentation and would be considered a champagne if you corked it and trapped the bubbles avoiding explosions of course.
i know that i can effect the taste of beers so i would imaging that it can do the same for wine