German Sparkling Wines

Question 1

What does Sekt mean?

Answer 1

Sekt = Sparkling Wine

Question 2

How much Sparkling wine does the average German drink, per year?

Answer 2

3,7 Liters, equivalent to 5 bottles, per person per year.

Question 3

What type of wine is Perlwein?

Answer 3

Frizzante or Secco, that be a less sparkling wine.

Question 4

What method(s) are used for Perlwein?

Answer 4

Tank method
*
Carbonation-method

Question 5

What are the quality-levels of Perlwein called, and what differentiates them?

Answer 5

Qualitätsperlwein bA: Fruit from one of the 13 Anbaugebiete
*
Perlwein: Fruit from anywhere in EU

Question 6

What are the sweetness-levels in Perlwein?

Answer 6

Trocken (dry) 0-35 g/l
	* 
Halbtrocken (off-dry) 33-50 g/l
	* 
Mild, 50+ g/l

Question 7

Name the different categories of Sekt

Answer 7

Sekt, Deutscher Sekt, Deutscher Sekt bA, Winzersekt

Question 8

Briefly describe the specs of Sekt

Answer 8

Generic appelation
	* 
min. 10% alcohol
	* 
Min. 3.5 Bars
	* 
No need to inform about varieties or vintage
	* 
Basewine/ juice often sourced from cheap spots in sourthern Europe and 2. fermentation in germany
	* 
Must be sold 6 months after second fermentation has been started
	* 
Min. 90 days on lees (30 days if Lees are stirred)
	* 
90% of all Sekt-production
	* 
Typically made en Brut or Extra-Dry styles (0-17 g/l)
	* 
Acceptable to good in quality
	* 
Inexpensive price

Question 9

Briefly describe Deutscher Sekt

Answer 9

Min. 10% alcohol
	* 
Min 3.5 Bars
	* 
Fruit must be grown in Germany
	* 
Tank or Traditionelle Method
	* 
Vintage or NV
	* 
single to several varieties

	*  If a variety is mentioned on label it must be 85% of the variety.
*  The wine cannot state a region on a label.

Question 10

Briefly describe Deutscher Sekt bA

Answer 10

Min. 10% alcohol
	* 
Min 3.5 Bars
	* 
bA = Bestimmter Anbaugebiete

	*  Must state the region in which it is harvested and produced (one of the 13 anbaugebiete)
*  Traditional method or Tank method

Question 11

Briefly describe Winzersekt

Answer 11

Min. 10% alcohol
	* 
Min 3.5 Bars
	* 
Winzer = winegrower
	* 
Estate-bottled wine
	* 
Only Methode Traditionelle
	* 
Typically made with Riesling - But other varieties are also permitted.
	* 
Vintage, Variety and producer must be stated on the label
	* 
Very good to Outstanding quality
	* 
mid- to premium-priced.

Question 12

What grape-varieties are generally used when fruit is imported to create Perlwein or Sekt?

Answer 12

Doesn’t matter, as long as the fruit is harvested early, with a proper amount of acidity it will do.

Question 13

What grape-varieties, grown in Germany, are generally used for Sekt or Perlwein?

Answer 13

Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Scheurebe

Question 14

When making a Sparkling wine on Riesling, with Methode Traditionelle, what are the most traditional to styles? Why are these used?

Answer 14

Short time on lees - to preserve the primary aromas.
*
Long time on lees - To add complexity, often in form of reductive aromas like “smoky-flinty” tones.

Question 15

What does some high-quality-producers use as dosage?

Answer 15

Sweet, mature Riesling

Question 16

If a variety or vintage is stated on a label, how much of the wine (in %) must be from that vintage or of that variety?

Answer 16

85%

Question 17

How long time is traditional-method or transfer-method wines permitted to be on lees and how long on bottle before release?

Answer 17

90 days on lees, 9 months maturation in total.

Question 18

Describe the label-term Flaschengärung

Answer 18

Bottle fermentation
*
May be disgorged by the transfer-method

Question 19

Describe the label-term Klassische Flashengärung

Answer 19

Classic bottle fermentation
*
Disgorgement by transfer-method not allowed.

Question 20

Describe the 3 levels of price-segments in the German sekt-market

Answer 20

Low-end, Price-driven sparkling wines, up to 4 euroes (half of the sales)
*
Standard-quality sparkling wines up to 8 euroes.
*
High-quality sparkling wines - usually a much higher price than the two stated above. A segment that has shown promising development.

Question 21

What is the “Sekt-tax” and when was it billed?

Answer 21

1902 - the Sekt-tax-bill states that all Sekt-prices automatically will include 1,02 euroes.

Question 22

How much of German Sparkling wine is exported and how much is sold on the domestic market?

Answer 22

90% domestic, 10% export

Question 23

Briefly describe VDP-Sekt

Answer 23

Classification created in 2018
	* 
Tag-line/ motto: "Good Sekt From The Beginning"
	* 
Rules:

Fruit must be grown on the estate of a VPD-member and be produced specifically for Sekt Production
		* 
Fruit must be picked early and by hand.
		* 
Whole Cluster
		* 
Traditional Method only.
		* 
Agement requirements:

• NV: 15 months on the lees
• Vintage/ Single Vineyard: 36 months on the lees.