Sparkling wine
Be it New Year’s Eve, a party or brunch, a Formula One or a horse race – whenever people are bubbling over with joy, it’s hard to imagine them without a glass of bubbly, the sparkling crown jewel of winemaking.
Facts
-
8 - 10°
are ideal drinking temperatures
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3,5
bar minimum
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9 Monate
Fermentation in the bottle
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0-3g
residual sugar content correspond to "brut nature".
German gourmets are the world champions of Sekt consumption. And that’s why many wine estates have established Winzersekt as a fixed component on their list of offers.
Extra Effort brings Extra Flavor
Classic fermentation in the bottle: At the beginning of the production of Sekt, sugar and a special kind of yeast, able to withstand great pressure, are added to the base wine. This initiates the second fermentation, producing the CO2 that will later make the Sekt sparkle so pleasantly in the glass. The pressure exerted by the carbonic acid needs to amount to at least 3.5 bar – up to 6 bar can be achieved. In the original method of Sekt manufacturing, the so-called Méthode champenoise, and in classic bottle fermentation, the second fermentation takes place in the individual bottle.
In a dark and cool cellar, Winzersekt lies and matures on its yeast for a minimum of 9 months, sometimes for years. After this, the bottles are placed upside down into so-called riddling racks. For a period of four weeks, they get turned daily and set ever more steeply upright at the same time. At the end of this laborious process, all the yeast has collected in the bottle’s neck. The bottle necks are then immersed in a brine (a freezing cold solution) to make the yeast freeze. If the bottles are opened now, the pressure from the carbonic acid ejects the yeast clot. The technical term for this process is “disgorging”.
Since the term “Méthode champenoise” has been exclusively reserved to the products of the French Champagne region for many years, Sekt manufactured by this method in Germany uses the term traditional or classic bottle fermentation.
Designations of styles
The designations for the styles of Sekt as defined by German Wine Law are different from those of wine, because the natural carbonic acid content of Sekt reduces the perception of sweetness. Accordingly, the permissible residual sugar levels of a dry Sekt are markedly higher than those of a dry wine.
- brut nature: 0-3 g/l
- extra brut: 0-6 g/l
- brut: 0-12 g/l
- extra dry: 12-17 g/l
- dry: 17-32 g/l
- semi-dry: 32-50 g/l
- mild: over 50 g/l
Not everything that foams is sparkling wine:
Schaumwein is the generic term for moussing, i.e. foaming wines with perlage, with a minimum pressure of 3 bar.
Sparkling wine is sparkling wine whose carbonic acid is produced during fermentation and generates at least 3.5 bar of internal pressure.
Perlwein has less pressure, the carbonic acid may also be added. Good sparkling wines are fresh, light, summery-fruity and at the same time relatively inexpensive, as they are not subject to sparkling wine tax.
Secco is the modern term for trendy sparkling wines.
Crémant can be called German sparkling wines that meet certain specifications for grape varieties, harvest and fermentation.
Which wine-growing region was the first to introduce sparkling wines to the market?
Rheinhessen launched the first vintner sparkling wines in Germany more than 25 years ago.
Varietals
with herb crust Roast turkey
with herb crust
- 600 Gramm Putenbrust am Stücke
- 0,25 Liter Weißwein
- 0,25 Liter Gemüsebrühe
- 4 ganze Tomaten
- 4 Scheiben Toastbrot
- 2 ganze Eier
- 2 Stück Zwiebeln
- 75 Gramm geriebener Emmentaler
- 1 Stange Porree
- 1 Bund Schnittlauch
- 1 EL Olivenöl
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Wash the meat, pat dry and cut a deep pocket lengthways. Crumble the toast. Wash and chop the herbs, peel and dice the onions.
<p
<p>Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Place the bread, herbs, onions, cheese and eggs in a bowl, mix thoroughly and season. Stuff 2/3 of this mixture into the turkey breast. Pin the opening with wooden skewers and tie up crosswise with kitchen twine. Place the roast in a roasting tin and brush with oil.
Roast in the preheated oven for approx. 1 hour. Gradually pour in the white wine and vegetable stock.
<p
<p>Clean and wash the vegetables. Cut the leek into pieces and add to the roast with the whole tomatoes after 30 minutes.
About 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, spread the remaining third of the herb mixture over the roast and finish cooking.
Arrange on plates with the vegetables and serve. Serve with rice.
- Grauburgunder / Pinot Gris (trocken)
- Chardonnay (trocken)
Asparagus harmonises perfectly with Silvaner Roasted asparagus with wild garlic and ribbon noodles
Roasted asparagus with wild garlic and ribbon noodles goes perfectly with Silvaner.
- 1kg weißer Spargel
- 1kg grüner Spargel
- 200g Butter
- 1 TL Zucker
- 2-4 EL Walnussöl
- 600g Tagliatelle
- 1 Prise Salz und Pfeffer
- 200 ml Schlagsahne
- 1 Spritzer Zitronensaft
- 8 Bärlauchblätter
Preparation:
Peel the asparagus (green asparagus only in the lower third), cut off the ends. Cut each spear in half lengthways and cut the halves in half. Cut the halves into 3 – 5 cm long pieces.
Heat the butter in a large pan, add the sugar. Caramelise briefly. Add the oil and asparagus and cook over a medium heat for approx. 10 mins. until al dente, tossing occasionally.
In the meantime, cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water according to the pack instructions until al dente.
Pour the cream into the asparagus and reduce until creamy. Season the asparagus with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Rinse the pasta, drain and mix with the asparagus. Cut the spring onions into strips and fold in.
Wine recommendation:
Silvaner Spätlese dry
- Silvaner (trocken)
with cinnamon and sugar Odenwald apple soufflé
with cinnamon and sugar
- 1 kg Äpfel
- 250 Gramm Semmelbrösel
- 125 Gramm Zucker
- 2 EL Butter
- 1/2 TL Zimt
- 1 Msp. gemahlene Nelken
- 50 Gramm Rosinen
- 100 ml trockener Weißwein
- 1 EL Rum
- zum Bestreuen Zimt & Zucker
Sauté the breadcrumbs, butter, spices and 2 tbsp sugar in a pan. Peel the apples and cut into slices. Sauté in white wine with rum and sugar until the liquid has almost evaporated.
<p
<p>Fill the greased springform tin alternately with the breadcrumb mixture and apples (bottom and top layer of breadcrumb mixture).
Bake for one ½ hour at 140 °C. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
- Riesling (lieblich)
with ribbon noodles Coq au Riesling
with ribbon noodles
- 1 ganzes Huhn
- 0,4 Liter Riesling
- 0,2 Liter Sahne
- 1 kl. Glas Cognac
- 2 Stück Schalotten
- 1 Stück Knoblauchzehe
- 1 Stück Eigelb
- 1/2 Bund Petersilie
- 1 EL Mehl
- 50 Gramm Butter
- 1 EL Olivenöl
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Carve the chicken. Heat approx. 50 g butter with 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken pieces until light brown (without the lid). Season lightly with salt.
Finely chop the shallots, peel and finely chop the garlic. Chop the parsley and add everything to the meat. Sauté briefly with the pan closed. Pour the cognac over the meat and light it (flambé). Deglaze with 1/3 litre of Riesling and leave to simmer for half an hour over a low heat. If necessary, add a little more wine and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces and keep warm for a short time. Mix 1 tbsp of flour with 1 egg yolk and the cream and whisk into the sauce. Flavour with salt and pepper. Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Serve immediately.
This goes well with tagliatelle.
Variant:Fry 150 g fresh mushrooms in 50 g butter and add.
- Riesling (trocken)
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