| Wine making yeast is not made equal. There are | | | | developed in Germany. It has been used to make |
| various different strains, each of which is designed | | | | a wide variety of hugely popular wines from |
| for producing different types of wine. | | | | chinen blanc to muscat, reisling and stein wines |
| If you consider all the different qualities and types | | | | (which are a bit sweeter). It helps to produce a |
| of wine you will begin to realize how varied wine | | | | lovely fruity smell and can be used in stainless |
| is. It isn't just a matter of red and white, flat or | | | | steel vats. |
| sparkling, sweet or dry; there are a huge number | | | | Some French strains |
| of taste differences that come into play as well. | | | | Epernay is particularly interesting because it was |
| Here are some examples of how yeast can | | | | isolated in Champagne, in France, which is, of |
| change the way wine tastes. But first you need | | | | course where genuine champagne is made. |
| to realize that different types of yeast were | | | | Nowadays we often talk about all sparkling wine |
| isolated in different countries and that most come | | | | as being champagne, but this is not correct. Some |
| from the original wine-making countries of the | | | | sparkling wines simply have carbon dioxide |
| world. These examples relate only to Germany | | | | pumped into them to make them bubbly while |
| and France, countries that have been producing | | | | others are produced in the same way as |
| wine for centuries. | | | | champagne - but they cannot be called |
| Some German strains | | | | champagne. The importance of the yeast is that |
| Germany is a world-leader in terms of isolating | | | | it can be used for bottle fermenting, which is |
| yeast and producing it commercially for wine | | | | what you need to produce any type of sparkling |
| making. One type of yeast strain they have | | | | wine. |
| developed is Assmannshausen. This is best suited | | | | Pasteur Champagne is another French yeast |
| for red wines and it has the effect of making the | | | | strain. It was isolated in Champgane, France, and |
| color of the wine more intense and of adding a | | | | is used to make sparkling wine all over the world. |
| lovely, spicy aroma. It was originally developed for | | | | Pasteur Red (sometimes referred to as French |
| Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, but is now being used for | | | | Red) was developed in Bordeaux and it is tolerant |
| some Cabernet Sauvignon wines. | | | | to heat and sulfur dioxide. It ferments easily and |
| Cote des Blancs is another type of yeast used | | | | is often used to make Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot |
| for German-style wines. It allows the wine to | | | | and Zinfandel. |
| ferment slowly at low temperatures. It also lets | | | | Pasteur White is common for making white wine |
| the flowery and fruity qualities come out in the | | | | and it works well in stainless steel vats. |
| wine. Alcohol levels rarely go beyond 13 percent. | | | | There is so much to learn, why not do some |
| Steinberg is another strain of yeast that was | | | | research of your own? |