Saccharomyces cerevisiae — for sweet white/blush and dessert wines. CY17 produces high levels of desirable congeners during fermentation, including aromatic thiols, imparting rich fruity aromatics, full body and tropical flavour characteristics. It's also noted for high glycerol formation, further enhancing sweetness.
This is a slow fermenter compared to the other strains in the Mangrove Jack's range — typically up to 21 days for table wines and up to 35 days for dessert wines. CY17 prefers a constant temperature of 22–26°C (72–78°F). Dropping below 15°C (59°F) two-thirds of the way through will arrest fermentation, making CY17 well suited to naturally sweet wines (use both potassium sorbate and metabisulphite to prevent re-fermentation). It's also excellent for sweet sparkling wines, though CL23 should be used for the bottle-fermentation stage.
A delicate strain that rewards care: avoid free SO2 above 50 ppm, keep pH above 3.2, pay attention to sterile winemaking conditions, and give it a warm start to reduce contamination risk. Under good conditions CY17 will happily ferment up to 15% ABV.
Browse the full Mangrove Jack's wine yeast range to compare strains.
Yeast Specification
| Species | Saccharomyces cerevisiae |
|---|---|
| ABV Tolerance | 14% |
| Temp Range | 16–24°C |
| Fermentation Speed | Medium |
| Recommended For | Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Muscat, Muscadet, Gewurztraminer. Nitrogen requirement: Low. Complex tropical fruit and floral aromatics. Not suitable above 14% ABV. Killer factor: Sensitive. |
| Ester Profile | High - Complex tropical fruit and floral aromatics; full, well-rounded flavour |
Rehydration / Usage: None required, add direct to must and stir well.