By OLIVIER CAILLE, Fermentis Technical Manager – Yeast Derivatives
And ANNE FLESCH, Fermentis Technical Sales Support Manager Wine – The Americas

By using yeast derivatives, you can do more than just facilitate fermentation. You can also get out of a stuck fermentation, stabilize your color, bring roundness and better resist to oxidation. Our expert, Olivier Caille, helps you clearly understand the advantages offered by derivatives at all stages of winemaking.

 “We know that time is precious for winemakers and  that the fermentation process is not always easy to master” begins Olivier. “Offering efficient fermentation solutions is our way to help them focus on their creativity and core business. Over the last years, as the result of extensive research, Fermentis has launched several new yeast-derived technical products, which are classified into two families : fermentation aids and functional products.” The first ones improve and accelerate fermentations, even in the most difficult conditions; the latter ones can improve the wines’ aroma, clarity, color, stability, etc.

FERMENTATION AIDS: Increase fermentation performances 

“Yeast is a living organism which requires a complex range of nutrients to perform a convenient fermentation” Olivier Caille continues. “Organic yeast available nitrogen, vitamins, lipids and support elements coming from the yeast itself are all essential nutrients which help yeast fermentation and growth. So, what could be more natural than adding the same components that is within the yeast in order to optimize its performance?” This is the philosophy behind the Fermentis range of fermentation aids: they are specifically yeast-derived, from versatile simple yeast autolysates to total autolysates for maximal fermentative power. In addition, fermentation media detoxification can be achieved by yeast hulls. Currently, at every step, wine producers can choose between six fermentation aids, each designed for targeted action.

FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTS: Enhance & preserve wine's quality

Functional products contribute to enhance – but also to preserve – the wine’s quality. How so? The lees provide various yeast compounds such as peptides, proteins, mannoproteins and specific polysaccharides offering various properties which can improve the wine’s quality during aging such as greater roundness, color stability and even natural clarification. “Our goal is to bring more tools to help winemakers to craft quality wines” Olivier Caille concludes. Five different functional products are already available.

 Let’s answer your questions!

1. What are yeast derivatives, exactly?

They are yeast cellular fractions obtained by the inactivation of living yeast cells through plasmolysis (heat treatment); autolysis (a yeast’s own enzyme action, from “auto,” meaning itself and “lysis,” meaning destruction); hydrolysis (external action of enzymes, water, acids, etc.); or other degradation means. That’s why yeast derivatives are highly technical products which often require years of research.

2. My must is poor in nutrients and the fermentation is challenging…

A lot of Fermentis products can actually help you: ViniLiquid™, SpringFerm™, SpringFerm™ Xtrem, SpringFerm™ Complete, SpringCell™. These products bring nutrients, vitamins, survival factors and support to the yeast to finish fermentation and avoid off-flavors. You can add it In the first half of the fermentation, when yeast population is growing and fermenting, before ethanol prevents the yeast from assimilating nutrients.

3. My wine’s color is not stable over time and/or it lacks intensity.

That’s a job for SpringCell™ Color or SpringCell™ Color G2! This yeast derivatives are rich in polysaccharides to act on the intensity and stability of the color in red wines.

4. How can I prevent my white/rosé from losing its freshness/aroma? And how can I prevent browning through oxidation?

Thanks to SpringArom™, a yeast derivative rich in antioxidant protecting color from browning and oxidation of aromas such as thiols.

5. My wine is lacking body and mouthfeel

Different yeast derivatives rich in polysaccharides can increase roundness from inoculation to aging. At inoculation, you can use SpringCell™ Color or Color G2. At the end of fermentation or during maturation, go with SpringCell™ Manno.

6. My fermentation is sluggish/stuck. How can I treat it or prevent it?

2 issues, 2 solutions. Fermentation aids rich in amino nitrogen, complete nutrients or yeast hulls are able to detoxify the wine while providing survival factors for the yeast to fight ethanol toxicity. To prevent, inoculate SpringFerm™ Xtrem and SpringCell™ at 1/3-1/2 of the fermentation. To restart a stuck fermentation, we would advice you to use SpringCell™ to detoxify

and SpringFerm™, SpringFerm™ Equilibre to build starter culture.

7. I like aging my wine on lees but it’s not always possible. What alternative do I have?

At the end of the fermentation, use SpringCell™ Manno. This yeast derivative is rich in polysaccharides and will provide similar positive effect to aging on lees.