Sekt
Germany is one of the largest sparkling wine markets in the world. 500 million of the 2 billion bottles of sparkling wine produced in the world is consumed in Germany. Sparkling wine produced in Germany is called Sekt. Sekt is made in all German wine regions.
All production methods - the méthode champenoise, the transversage method, the charmat method, the méthode ancestrale and the carbonation method - are used.
There are three groups of Sekt makers: (i) large and (ii) smaller Sekt Houses, which only make Sekt and (iii) winemakers, who make predominantly wine, but complement their wine selection by a few Sekts.
The Sekts produced by large Sekt estates tend to be in the demy-sweet and sweet range and made by using the charmat Method, while the Sekts of smaller estates and winemakers are mostly in the brut and extra brut range, made according to the méthode champenoise.
At the top, premium and ultra-premium Sekts are made according to the méthode champenoise. To indicate that it is made like Champagne the label says "Traditionelle Flachengährung"/ Traditional Method. One of the requirements is that it has aged on the lees in the bottle for at least 9 months.
On the other side of the quality spectrum, you find just "Sekt" on the label, made at least partially from imported wines from Italy, Spain and France. If it says "Deutscher Sekt", the grapes are all from Germany.
There are also lots of semi-sparkling wines (Perlwein), which can range from really cheap to excellent quality wines.
German production of sparkling wines dates back to the early 1800s, when G. C. Kessler & Co. was founded by Georg Christian Kessler, who had previously worked at the Champagne House Veuve Clicquot. Also, many (French) Champagne Houses have German origins, such as Bollinger, Mumm, Taitinger. See: French Champagne Houses and German Roots
Winzersekt
A Winzersekt is a premium or ultra-premium Sekts made according to the méthode champenoise. To indicate that it is made like Champagne the label says "Traditionelle Flachengährung"/ Traditional Method.
One of the requirements is that it has aged on the lees in the bottle for at least 9 months. Most winemakers far exceed that length.
Uses 100% estate-grown fruit.
Various grape varieties are used, including Riesling, Silvaner and Pinot Noir.
The 30 Favorite Sekts of GOURMETWELTEN
The on-line gourmet journal released a list with its 30 favorites recently, broken down into Top 10, Discoveries and Classics.
The Top 10
1 Raumland
2 Griesel & Compagnie
3 Reichsrat von Buhl
4 Wilhelmshof
5 Wein- & Sektgut Barth
6 Strauch Sektmanufaktur
7 Frank John
8 Andres & Mugler
9 Sektkellerei Bardong
10 Sektmanufaktur Schloss VAUX
The Discoveries
Sektmanufaktur Hattemer
Sekthaus Krack
The Classics
Wein- & Sektgut F.B. Schönleber
Emrich-Schönleber
Braunewell
Rebholz
Georg Breuer
Schlossgut Diel
Weinreich
St. Laurentius
Motzenbäcker
Winterling
Sekthaus Solter
Siener
Mohr
Naegele
Franz Keller
Weingut am Stein
Private Sektmanufaktur Stengel
Erzeugergemeinschaft Winzersekt
schiller-wine: Related Postings
Announcement: ombiasy WineTours in 2019 - Germany-North and Bordeaux
Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017
UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: June 3, 2019)
Reminder: Ombiasy Wine Tour to Bordeaux: September 03 - September 12, 2019
German Wine Basics: Sekt
Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralp and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Wine Tasting with Lunch, with Mark Barth at Wein- und Sektgut Barth in Hattenheim, Rheingau– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Visit of a Small, Premium Sekt Producer: Sektkellerei Bardong in the Rheingau, Germany – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany
Ultra-premium Sekt: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Griesel&Compagnie, Sekthaus Streit, Bensheim, with Winemaker Rachele Crosara - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen
Champagne, Sekt, Cava, Pét-Nat ...: Sparkling Wines around the World - A Primer
French Champagne Houses and German Roots