Sekt

Germans consume more sparkling wine per capita than any other country, but a lot of it isn’t that good. A trip to a local supermarket will reveal shelves of generic, inexpensive Sekt from large, anonymous producers. Although regions such as Champagne are appreciated by educated consumers, most sparkling wine is Sekt made from grapes grown somewhere in Europe and then carbonated to add frothy but simple bubbles.

However, to a small but noticeable degree, there is an increasing amount of quality Sekt being made. To spot the good stuff, there are two important labelling terms. Deutscher Sekt means sparkling wine made from grapes grown in Germany; Anbaugebieter Sekt means it comes from one of Germany’s specific regions, giving a greater sense of origin. On top of this, some producers are making single-vineyard wines, quite unusual for sparkling wine but running parallel to the highest-quality Riesling made across Germany.

The rise in quality has also been promoted by the VDP, who have introduced a classification called VDP.SEKT.STATUT. To qualify, the grapes must be estate-grown and hand-harvested and the wines made using the traditional method. VDP.SEKT must be aged on the lees for two years, while there is an additional category, VDP.SEKT.PRESTIGE, which must be aged for three years. It’s still early to assess consumer understanding of these categories, but it gives producers the foundation to promote quality Sekt.

grape varieties

Riesling is the standard-bearer for quality German wine, and this is true for Sekt. The best wines taste recognisably and distinctly like Riesling, with floral, lime zest aromas, a light smoky nuttiness, and characteristically high, racy acidity. There is of course a significant difference from still Riesling: lees. Given Riesling is an aromatic variety, results can be mixed. The best wines have a yeasty, toasty, spicy character which complements Riesling’s nature; some wines though seem to develop overt, funky cheese aromas. Styles can also vary: some producers use quite high dosage; for instance Maximilian Grunhäus in Mosel use Auslese for 12g/l, but there are a number of producers, such as Barth and Schönleber, making Brut Nature in Rheingau where the high acidity is balanced by the lees ageing and texture.

Champagne grapes are also used, which arguably takes away some of the distinct character of Sekt but is more familiar to the general consumer. Rosé is becoming more common and is often made from Pinot Noir; in Germany it’s called Spätburgunder and there’s a long tradition of plantings for wines which have a similar finesse and intensity to Riesling and which make Spätburgunder a distinctly German style of Pinot Noir. Chardonnay is a bit more alien, but as I discussed in my previous post there are some extremely good wines being made in Germany, and that includes sparkling wine. Some Meunier is planted, and producers also use Weißburgunder in their Sekt: its relatively neutral aromatics and high acid in a cool climate make it ideal. Aldinger, for instance, make a new, fun, fresh range called “No. 530”: both white and rosé are blends of Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Meunier. Other producers combine Pinot and Riesling for unique wines which work really well: “Creation” by Schönleber is a perfect combination of 60% Riesling and 40% Pinot Noir, while Kistenmacher-Henderger make a light but toasty blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling.

sparkling Silvaner

To add to the broad range of Sekt, there’s even sparkling Silvaner from Franken: fun, lively, though perhaps lacking the racy acidity for long ageing. Even more unusually, P.J. Kühn of Rheingau make a vintage Brut Nature from Auxerrois, Weißburgunder, and Chardonnay: the neutral aromas of the three varieties allow the lees to carry the wine and give it a yeasty complexity and texture.

And there’s always at least one outlier: sparkling red Spätburgunder. The “Rotsekt”—vintage and Brut—from Schönleber, aged for one year in barrique before bottling, was much more delicate and less tannic and robust than sparkling Shiraz and more interesting than most Lambrusco. An acquired taste and perhaps best with smoky food, it showed the willingness of German producers to experiment.

The Sekt category is growing and is quickly becoming more diverse and interesting. Some producers focus almost solely on Sekt: Raumland from Rheinhessen began in the 1980s, pioneering the move towards quality Sekt. Others, such as Barth and Schönleber, have switched their attention over the last 15-20 years. You may have to know where to look, but I say look.

for more on Sekt and its producers, check out my new website bubblesoftheworld