🍷 Sekt
German and Austrian quality sparkling wine.
Sekt is the German and Austrian name for quality sparkling wine. By law the bottle pressure must be at least 3.5 bar, and the wine must go through a second fermentation. The word is thought to come from the Italian or French word for dry (secco, sec).
Sekt is made in several ways. Simple, large-volume wines ferment a second time in big closed tanks, the Charmat method. Pricier ones use the traditional method, like Champagne, with the second fermentation in the bottle. Sekt with a named region, such as Deutscher Sekt b.A., must come from grapes of that region. Winzersekt is a special type made by the grower from their own grapes, always in the bottle.
In German wine, Riesling is the classic grape for Sekt, along with Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. Austrian wine favours Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling. Sekt corresponds to the EU category of quality sparkling wine. It is not the same as Perlwein, which has lower pressure and only a light fizz.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Sekt → → → 🍇 Riesling → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Sparkling wine
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ German wine, 🗺️ Austrian wine
- Related to
- 🍇 Riesling
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Quality sparkling wine, 🍷 Perlwein, 🍷 Sparkling wine, 🍷 Winzersekt
Frequently asked questions
Is Sekt a kind of fizz?
Yes, it is the German and Austrian name for quality sparkling wine, with a bottle pressure of at least 3.5 bar.
Is it true that Sekt is just the German word for Champagne?
No. Champagne comes only from Champagne and always ferments in the bottle. Sekt comes from Germany and Austria and is often tank-fermented, though bottle-fermented Sekt exists.
Is Sekt made in the bottle or in a tank?
Often in tanks, though bottle-fermented Sekt exists; Champagne always ferments in the bottle.
What to read next
- 🍇 Riesling — A white wine grape from the banks of the Rhine, making wines from dry to sweet.
- 🗺️ German wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
- 🍷 Perlwein — German semi-sparkling wine, often with added gas.
Similar
🍷 Quality aromatic sparkling wine · 🍷 Aerated sparkling wine · 🍷 Espumante · 🍷 Pezsgő · 🍷 Cap Classique · 🍷 Espumoso
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.