Wine Yeast Issues

[Teacher]

I am in the process of making 5 gallons of white wine and I am having trouble activating the yeast. I am using the Montracet (? Spelling) yeast in the yellow packet. I have always had trouble getting this yeast to work, and I am having the same issue again. I pick, mash, and freeze the grapes and make the wine as time allows as I dont like being snowed under when 50 grape vines all come in at the same time.

I have never had this issue come up with red wines, only the white. I dont know what I am doing wrong and want some insight from you guys. What would you suggest in order to finish off this batch of wine. I think, if nothing else, just adding the Montracet yeast for red wine that I have used in the past. I have even taken fermenting grapes from red grapes before and placed them in the white grapes to get the process going. I just need to find what is not making this yeast activate. It is not out of date and the temperature is @ 70 degrees in the room the grapes are at.

What do you suggest.
B

 

[GMB54]

Yellow pack? Mine were always in red packs. Red Star has changed the name on the newest packs. Its now called Classique.

Try Cote De Blanc for whites but its not as temp tolerant. I think they changed the name on that one to Premier Blanc.

Champagne yeast or Lalvin EC-1118 if you want REALLY dry and great cold tolerance. Lalvin K1V-1116 is another very hardy yeast. This stuff is a beast of a yeast.

 

[BamaProud]

You might want to try a starter or some yeast nutrient.

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/YeastStarter.asp

 

[DaveB]

I thought all yeast was very temperature sensitive.

 

[BamaProud]

Not really, lager yeasts can work only a little above freezing. Lalvin EC-1118 can work at almost 100F, down to 45F. However, of you try to make a certain type of beer or wine and try to ferment it at a temperature required outside of that style of beer/wine or use a type of yeast not engineered for the type of beer/wine there isn't any telling what you are actually making.

Everything you ever wanted to know and more about Yeasts:
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/strains.asp

 

[GMB54]

In the context of wine, EC-1118 and K1V-1116 are very tolerant of cold but they may not ferment as dry when cold. K1V-1116 is especially aggressive if there is the chance of wild yeast or other yeasts in the equation. Its even tolerant of lower nutrients but i would advise against that. Stressed yeast can give off a sulfur aroma. Grapes typically have a good amount of nutrients but a little yeast energizer wont hurt a thing. I use Fermaid-K mostly.

Both of these though will ferment very dry and have a high alcohol tolerance.