Germany Flashcards
What sort of price point is most German sparkling wine
90% - inexpensive, high volume
How much inexpensive sparkling wine does the average German consumer drink per year?
4.5 bottles
What are the main categories of Sekt? (4)
- Sekt (90% of production)
- Deutscher Sekt
- Deutscher Sekt bA
- Winzersekt
Describe the requirements that need to be met for a wine to be called Sekt
- Usually tank method
- Made in Germany but grapes usually sourced from southern Europe
- Sold six months after 2nd ferment has begun (min 90 days on lees or 30 if lees are stirred)
- Doesn’t require vintage or mention of grapes
Describe a typical Sekt
- Med acid
- Light intensity
- Primary fruit
- No autolysis
- Noticeable RS - Brut or Extra Dry
- Acceptable to good
- Inexpensive
Describe the requirements that need to be met for a wine to be called Deutscher Sekt
- Tank method or trad method
- German grown fruit but may come from multiple regions
- Cannot state region of origin even if grapes from single region
- Vintage / non-vintage
- > 85% of grapes from one variety
- Cannot state region of origin even if grapes from single region
Describe the requirements that need to be met for a wine to be called Deutscher Sekt bA
- bestimmter Anbaugebiete = “of a defined region”
- Region name must appear on label
- Tank or traditional method
Describe the requirements that need to be met for a wine to be called Winzersekt
- Estate bottled - wine is made on same estate where the grapes were grown - usually Riesling
- Traditional method
- Vintage, variety, producer’s name must appear on bottle
Describe a typical Winzersekt (when made from Riesling)
- Med intensity
- Apple and peach fruit
- Toasty, smoky autolysis
- High acid
- Brut
- Very good - outstanding
- Mid - premium priced
What is Perlwein / Secco?
- Can be made from grapes from a specified region (Qualitätsperlwein bA) or from across EU (Perlwein)
- Tank or carbonation
- Three bar or less (taxed less)
- Usually sweeter than Sekt
1. Trocken - up to 35 g/L
2. Halbtrocken - 33-50 g/L
3. Mild - > 50 g/L
Where are grapes for Sekt picked and how are they processed?
- High vol production in Southern Europe
- Picked early for acidity
- Crushed in region of origin, chilled and transported to Germany
Where are grapes for Deutscher Sekt, Deutscher Sekt bA and Winzersekt picked and how are they processed?
- Throughout Germany - cool continental climate suits growing grapes with low potential ABV and high acid
- Grapes picked early with under-ripe grapes being removed with high acid and just-ripe fruit character
- Hand-harvesting used for HQ wines
What kind of grapes are used for Deutscher Sekt, Deutscher Sekt bA, and Winzersekt?
Riesling - most prestigious wines
Chardonnay/PN blends or as single varietal wines
Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Silvaner, Scheurebe
Do variations in climate and soil types have an impact on the final wine?
No - wines are usually extensively blended prior to 2nd ferment
Describe how tank method is used to produce Sekt
First Ferment
- Low temp –> fruit
- Blended –> consistency
Second Ferment
- HQ aged on lees for 3-6 months –> complexity, balanced
- High vol –> time and price