Highlights from the 2023 Laffort Export Seminar

In June we attended the 2023 Laffort Export Seminar in Costa Brava, Spain to evaluate the results of Laffort’s latest research. Laffort has a team of over 25 full-time researchers and commits over €3.5 million to research every year, which meant the busy seminar schedule was packed full of the latest information on yeast, bacteria, fining, enzymes, and nutrition. We learned alongside winemakers, researchers, and distributors from around the world as we listened to highly technical presentations and participated in sensory evaluations of both commercial scale and field validation trials.

We’re delighted to be able to bring some of these discoveries home to our Canadian industry; here are some of Maddie’s and Andy’s key takeaways that we think you might appreciate:

Zymaflore Klima

In response to climate change and its impact on grape growing and winemaking, Laffort has invested considerable effort into selectively bred yeasts that can tolerate higher alcohols while producing balanced wines.

Enter Zymaflore Klima, which is an acidifying strain of S. cerevisiae. This yeast was selectively bred (non-GMO!) to contain all 7 of the qualitative trait markers involved in lower alcohol production and all 8 markers indicated in malic acid production by yeast metabolism.

Klima has a short lag phase and regular fermentation kinetics, is low SO₂ and low VA producing, and yields a fresh and balanced wine without adding acid or ameliorating potential alcohol.

On Sauvignon blanc, Klima yielded a wine that was 0.3% lower in alcohol, 0.5g/L higher in titratable acidity, and 1.85g/L higher in glycerol, relative to identical fermentation conditions using X5 and XOrigin. Tasting it alongside X5 and XOrigin, the Klima Sauvignon blanc stood out for its elegance, balance, and freshness, while still showing classic Sauvignon blanc aromatics.

In Merlot, Klima produced a wine that was 0.5% lower in alcohol and 1.7g/L higher in titratable acidity, compared to identical fermentations using F15.

We’re excited at the potential for this yeast to showcase the freshness and fruit purity of BC grapes by helping to balance alcohols and acids in riper years.

Zymaflore XarOm

In a year where BC winegrape production is down 50% or more, we are on the hunt for highly versatile yeasts that can be used effectively across several varieties to minimize waste and maximize quality. With this in mind, we were excited to taste a field trial comparing XarOm, Xpure, RX60, and FX10 on Syrah from St. Chinian.

XarOm is a low SO₂ and low VA producing yeast. It has slightly slower fermentation kinetics, helps preserve malic acid, and produces wines that are intensely aromatic and complex.

More excitingly, the aromatic profile can be modulated by fermentation temperature, as fermenting with XarOm at lower temperatures favours increased ester production, while fermenting at warmer temperatures with XarOm will increase the release of volatile thiols.

Although XarOm is well suited to both white and rose production, it is only now getting the recognition it deserves for its suitability to red wine production, too, and we were able to witness some of the results firsthand.

We participated in sensory analysis of xarOm in a Syrah from France, alongside three other Laffort yeasts. In this blind tasting, the XarOm wine’s aromatics jumped out of the glass. It was unanimously ranked highest for red fruit, dark fruit, and aromatic intensity, and the wine was fresh, elegant, and complex. This harvest, when the yields for your whites, roses, and red wines are still to be determined, consider XarOm as a one-size-fits-all yeast for any of your fermentation needs.

Nobile Oak alternatives – Now available for the Canadian winemakers

Nobile oak alternatives offer a solution for each stage of winemaking, from fermentation through to maturation. Their alliance between tradition and innovation offers a perfect balance between oak and wine.

Born from an alliance between the cooperage industry and precision oenology, Nobile is now recognised by professionals throughout the world for the consistent quality of its oak & the heightened wine balance.

The compounds in the wood and the wine come together elegantly, producing rich, subtle wines that are appreciated by winemakers and consumers all over the world.

Nobile has an innovative production facility which is at the cutting edge of technology and uses specific toasting procedures and programs for developing and creating particular expressions. Oak toasting is an extremely delicate operation that releases natural volatile compounds. The experience and management of the Nobile team and specific procedures ensure that the profiles created can be reproduced in terms of aroma and tannins.

• Chips – Creates volume and sweetness, develops aromatic complexity, help preserve freshness and fruit expression of wines and reduces ageing time.
• Staves – Slow and gradual extraction, aromatic expression with respect for the fruit, character and complexity comparable to barrel ageing.
• Blocks – Same profiles as the Nobile Staves range with faster ageing, gives complex profiles, easy to use.
• Barrel Refresh – Extends the life of neutral barrels, innovative attachment system for easy implementation, maximizes the beneficial oxygen from barrels.
• NobiSPARK – Improves aromatic clarity, eliminates reduction in young wines and improves the ageing potential of sparkling wines.

Bio-soured finning agents from Laffort

A new range of bio-sourced fining agents from Laffort that moves away from the use of polymers. Formulations of 100% natural origin, usable in organic production and alternatives to animal products.

Oenofine Nature

Allows the elimination of phenolic compounds from musts and wines, providing better hue stability and protection against oxidation while preserving the aromatic potential. Preparation based on inactivated yeast, vegetable proteins and calcium bentonite.

• Vegetable protein, specifically selected for its strong reactivity with phenolic compounds.
•  Inactivated yeasts, intended to treat bitterness and refine the wine.
• Natural calcium bentonite with strong settling properties to facilitate racking.
• Oenofine Nature is an alternative to the use of PVPP.

 Treatment can take place at any stage in vinification, on both white and rosé musts and wines. Availability 1kg bags.

Oenofine Pink

An innovative solution for fining musts and white wines. Designed to stabilize the hue of fermenting musts and eliminate pinking in wines. Preparation based on inactivated yeasts, patatin, oenological carbon and sodium bentonite for fining musts, new wines in fermentation and white wines.

• Stabilizes the colour of rosé wines by eliminating oxidizable polyphenols during fermentation
• Due to its very good sedimentation capacity, Oenofine Pink effectively clarifies musts and wines with rapid settling of compact solids.
• Oenofine Pink  is an alternative to PVPP

Treatment can be implemented during settling or during fermentation. Availability 1kg bags.