D4.C15. Germany Flashcards
Why did the Sekt production increased significantly after the mid-1950s?
Because inexpensive base wines could be sourced within the European Union
How many percent of sparkling wines produced in Germany are inexpensive, high-volume brands?
90%
What is the consumption of sparkling wine per capita per year for Germany?
3.4 liters (4.5 bottles) (world leader)
Which methods can be used to produce Sekt?
All except carbonation
What are the properties of Sekt?
- Tank method
- No mention of grape varieties or vintage
- Made from a range of base wines sourced from inexpensive regions of southern Europe
- Can only be sold 6 months after second fermentation has been started
- Minimum of 90 days on the lees or 30 if the lees are stirred
- Non-vintage
- Light intensity fruit and no autolytic notes
- Typically made in the Brut or Extra Dry style
- With noticeable residual sugar and medium acidity
What is the percentage of Sekt within all categories of Sekt?
90%
What is the quality price range for Sekt?
- Acceptable to good in quality
- Inexpensive in terms of price
What are the properties of Deutscher Sekt?
- It must be made from German-grown fruit
- Can be tank method or traditional method
- Can be vintage or non-vintage
- Can be made from one variety or multiple varieties
- The fruit may come from a number of different German regions
- Can not state its region of origin on the label
What are the properties of Deutscher Sekt bA?
- Made from quality wine from one of the 13 defined wine- growing regions
- The name of the region must appear on the label
- Can be tank method or traditional method
What are the properties of Winzersekt?
- Estate-bottled
- Uses only grapes grown by the estate
- Traditional method
- Minimum of 9 months on the lees in the bottle
- Typically made with Riesling but a range of other varieties may be used
- The vintage, grape variety and producer’s name must appear on the bottle
Tasting notes of Winzersekt made from Riesling
- Medium intensity apple and peach fruit
- Toasty, smoky, autolytic notes
- High acidity
- Typically in the Brut style
What is the quality price range for Winzersekt?
- Very good to outstanding in quality
- Mid- to premium-priced
What is “Perlwein” (Secco)?
- It is a sparkling wine made either by tank or carbonation method
- Made from inexpensive base wine
- Less than 3 atmospheres of pressure
Why is Perlwein cheaper in Germany?
As they do not attract tax (less than 3 athmosphere)
How are the grapes sourced for Sekt?
- From the grapes that are grown in high-volume production areas of southern Europe
- Low aromatic grape varieties from Italy, Spain and France are typically used, picked early to retain acidity
- The grapes are typically crushed in the region of origin and the juice chilled and transported by truck or train to Germany
Describe the growing environment, varieties used harvesting choices for Deutscher Sekt, Deutscher Sekt bA and Winzersekt?
- The grapes are typically picked early for sparkling wine, with under-ripe grapes being selected out
- The wines are mainly made from single varieties, though blends based on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also made
- Riesling makes the most prestigious wines
- Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Silvaner plus aromatic varieties (e.g. Scheurebe), can also be used
- Hand harvesting is used for the higher quality wines, adding to cost and therefore the final price
- Variations in climate and soil types are mainly overridden by blending of base wines prior to second fermentation
What are the common winemaking choices for Sekts produced by tank method?
- First fermentation is carried out at low temperatures to retain the freshness of the fruit
- Wines are blended to ensure consistency across batches and within the style of the brand
- Second fermentation is conducted in tanks
- The higher quality wines being aged on lees for 3–6 months
- Grapes grown in Germany may be made into base wine by the grower and then delivered to large Sekt-producing specialist companies for the second fermentation
Which grape varieties are preferred to make traditional method Sekt?
- Champagne varieties
- Riesling
Is malolactic conversion used for traditional method Sekt?
- Yes for the wines from Champagne varieties
- No for wine from Riesling
Is autolytic notes desired for Riesling based Sekt?
It depends on producer’s preference. Some producers prefer to focus on Riesling’s distinctive floral, apple and lemon primary notes. As a result, time on the lees may be the minimum required of nine months
What does Riesling differ from other Champagne varieties in terms of developing autolytic notes?
Riesling develops an attractive smoky note, rather than the biscuit/brioche of Champagne varieties
What are the stipulations defined by the law for Sekt wines?
- Minimum 10% abv
- 3.5 atmosphere pressure
- Varietal or vintage wines must be 85 per cent of that variety and/or vintage
- For tank method Sekt wines, the period from tirage to release from the winery for sale must last for a minimum of six months with a minimum of 90 days on the lees (30 days if the wine is stirred)
- Traditional method wines must spend a minimum of 9 months on the lees and can then be released for sale
- Transfer method wines must spend a minimum of 3 months on the lees and can be released for sale after 9 months
What are the properties of Perlwein?
- Perlwein can be made from a quality wine from a specified region (Qualitätsperlwein bA) or as EU wine (Perlwein).
- CO2 can be injected or produced by tank method
- It is often sweeter than Sekt
- If labelled Trocken (dry), it can have up to 35 g/L of residual sugar; Halbtrocken (off-dry) has between 33 and 50 g/L; and mild, more than 50 g/L
What is “Flaschengärung”?
It means ‘bottle fermented’, but may be disgorged by the transfer method
What is “Klassische Flaschengärung”?
Classic bottle fermentation, which is second fermentation in this bottle and transfer method not allowed
What are the price categories for Sekt?
- Low-end, price-driven sparkling wines that retail for up to €4.00 (over 50% of all sales)
- Standard-quality sparkling wines that retail for up to €8.00
- High-quality sparkling wines (promising development in recent years)
What is the governmental tax for Sekt per bottle?
€1.02 (since 1902)
Where are the majority of Sekt sold in Germany? How is this different for Winzersekt?
- In supermarkets
- Winzersekt, by contrast, is sold from the cellar door, specialist wine retailers and in restaurants
What are the producers which dominate (80%) Sekt production in Germany?
- Rotkäppchen–Mumm
- Henkell & Co
- Schloss Wachenheim
Which brands of Rotkäppchen–Mumm have a mass appeal for Germans? Why?
- Rotkäppchen and Jules Mumm
- Due to their relatively high quality at low prices
What is the difference of Rotkäppchen–Mumm from other producers in terms of marketing strategy?
Rotkäppchen continues to position itself predominantly in the economy segment
What are the significant producers of Winzersekt?
- Reichsrat von Buhl
- Schloss Vaux
What is the percentages of domestic consumption and export for Sekt?
- Domestic: 90%
- Export: 10 %
What is the choice of the German consumers while buying higher quality Sekt?
The wine market in general is extremely price
conscious and German consumers, especially if buying a higher quality Sekt, generally prefer to buy via retailers for home consumption, rather than paying restaurant prices
What are the stipulations for VDP Sekt?
- The fruit must be grown on the estate of a VDP member
- The fruit should be produced specifically for Sekt production
- The fruit must be picked early, by hand
- Whole cluster pressed
- Traditional method only
- Two tiers for lees ageing:
+ 15 months on the lees
+ For single-vineyard and all vintage wines that require 36 months on the lees
