Ageing on lees illustrates the potential contributions of wine yeasts after alcoholic fermentation. Inspired by this traditional process, Lallemand Oenology has been working for the last fifteen years to develop products from wine yeasts that aim to optimize wine quality. To complement the range of available naturally selected wine yeasts and their nutrients, Lallemand Oenology proposes since 2001 a full range of specific inactivated yeast products. These preparations from different wine yeasts have been inactivated following different processes to obtain products which satisfy specific applications such as preventing premature oxidation in white wines (Lallemand Oenology patented application “Method for preventing defective ageing of white wines”), contributing to volume on the palate and globally improve wine balance.

The specific inactivated yeasts :

 come from specific wine yeasts
• are distinguished by their qualitative and quantitative composition, comprising certain compounds that benefit wine quality (amino acids, peptides, polysaccharides, glutathione, etc.)
• are the result of specific preparation processes, encompassing biomass propagation, drying and the inactivation stage

Lallemand Oenology R&D work has led to the development of tools for specific applications :

• inactivated yeasts rich in glutathione, to protect the aroma and colour of musts and wines against oxidation, thus enabling wine quality and aromatic longevity to be improved
• inactivated yeasts rich in polysaccharides, to preserve the colour of red wines and give rounder wines.

Lallemand Oenology continues to champion yeast’s potential via R&D projects to develop innovative, bio-sourced tools that could constitute top quality alternatives for stabilizing and improving the quality of wines.