Opti-RED® is now certified organic by OMRI and is a unique inactivated yeast derivative nutrient.
It is the product of a specific refining process which results in a high level of polyphenol reactive cell wall polysaccharides. Lallemand has known that different yeast strains produce different levels and types of polysaccharides during their growth phase.
Building on this experience, they developed Opti-RED from specific yeasts harvested at the end of their growth phase when polysaccharides are more reactive than those released during autolysis.
Opti-RED may be used either at the beginning or toward the end of red wine fermentations to obtain fuller bodied, more color stable, smooth palate wines.
Using Opti-RED in the must provides early polysaccharide availability for complexing with polyphenols as soon as they are released and diffused. This early complexing results in red wines with more intense color, rounder mouthfeel and better tannin integration.
Using Opti-RED in the latter part of alcoholic fermentation allows the winemaker to shape harsh polyphenols into smoother, more approachable tannins.
Dosage: Early - 227g/ton, Later - 20-30g/HL