Secco

Secco can be a light alternative to sparkling wine whenever you feel like celebrating with others.

Facts

  • 6 - 8° degrees

    are ideal drinking temperatures

  • < 35 g/l

    of residual sugar is considered as "dry"

  • 1 - 2,5 bar

    pressure

With relatively low alcohol, a Secco is recommended as an ideal summer aperitif, which does not put as much strain on the body even in hot temperatures. Served cool at around 6-8 ° C, it is particularly refreshing. Seccos are now part of the standard repertoire for many German winegrowers.

How is Secco different

According to German Wine Law, semi-sparkling wine is defined as wine which has an excess of carbon dioxide compared to still wines. While most of the CO2 escapes during the fermentation of grape must to wine, for the preparation of high-quality Seccos, this is captured and put back into the wine after fermentation.

If CO2 from sources other than the wine itself are added, then it must be declared as "semi-sparkling wine with added carbon dioxide." This carbonation method is only used in the simplest semi-sparkling wines. Seccos have only 1 to 2.5 bar pressure, while sparkling wine contains at least 3, and up to 6, bar of carbonic acid pressure. An important distinction between seccos and sekt, or sparkling wine, is that in the latter, the CO2 comes from a second fermentation.

Seccos don’t need to use a wire cage (muselet) over the cork, like with sparkling wine, but are mostly closed with either a screw cap or a cork with foil or string.

Levels of sweetness for semi-sparkling wines

    Dry: up to 35 g / liter residual sugar content
    Semi-dry: 33 - 50 g / liter residual sugar content
    Mild: > 50 g / liter residual sugar

Is Secco the same as Prosecco?

No! Prosecco comes from Italy, is pressed from the Glera grape variety and may only be produced in the DOC Prosecco. It is available as sparkling, semi-sparkling and still wine. Meanwhile in Germany, Secco is a sparkling wine with technically added carbon dioxide.

a Christmassy dessert Plum roaster with cinnamon ice cream

a Christmassy dessert

  • 1 kg Zwetschgen (frisch oder TK)
  • 100 Gramm Zucker
  • 0.5 TL gemahlener Zimt
  • Eine Prise Nelkenpulver
  • 50 ml Pflaumenschnaps
  • 50 Gramm dunkler Rohrzucker
  • 2 EL alter Balsamicoessig
  • 200 Gramm Zucker
  • 4 Eigelb
  • 500 ml Sahne

Plum rings:

Wash, deseed and quarter the plums. Spread the sugar evenly in a non-stick pan and melt slowly over a medium heat. Increase the temperature and immediately add the fruit, schnapps and spices. Stir until the mixture caramelises.

Stir in the muscovado sugar and balsamic vinegar, spread onto a cold plate after approx. 3 minutes.

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<p>Cinnamon ice cream:

Combine the sugar and egg yolks and stir the two ingredients over a bain-marie until frothy.

Whip the cream, then carefully mix both mixtures and add three teaspoons of cinnamon. Carefully mix the cinnamon into the mixture again.

Pour the finished mixture into any (cake) tin or small dish, cover with aluminium foil and place in the freezer for at least three hours.

 

Place the plums on four deep plates or small bowls, cut off 2 – 3 ice lollies each and place on top, serve immediately.

  • Gewürztraminer (trocken)

with white wine Cauliflower soup

with white wine

  • 3 Stück Schalotten
  • 500 Gramm Blumenkohl
  • 20 Gramm Butter
  • 1 TL Fenchelsaat
  • 50 ml Weißwein
  • 800 ml Gemüsebrühe
  • 100 ml Schlagsahne
  • 1 Prise Zucker
  • nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer

Peel the shallots and cut into slices.

 

Clean and chop the cauliflower.

 

Melt the butter in a pan, sauté the shallots with the fennel seeds over a medium heat for 3 minutes until colourless. Add the cauliflower, sauté for 2 minutes, season with salt and sugar.

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<p>Deglaze with white wine, bring to the boil and top up with vegetable stock and whipping cream. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes.

 

Blend with a hand blender, adding stock if necessary to reach the desired consistency.

 

Serve drizzled with a few drops of olive oil.

  • Silvaner (trocken)

Japanese hollandaise succeeds with wasabi paste Salmon with Japanese hollandaise and green asparagus

Combine salmon with hollandaise and asparagus with a dry Riesling.

  • 4x 150g Lachsfilet mit Haut
  • 1 Limette
  • 2 Zehen Knoblauch
  • 4 EL Honig
  • 10 EL Sojasauce
  • 200g Butter
  • 4 Eier
  • 1 EL Joghurt
  • 2 EL Reisessig
  • 2 EL Wasabipaste
  • 500 g Grüner Spargel

For the marinade, finely chop the garlic first. Wash the lime in hot water, grate the zest and squeeze out the juice and bring everything to the boil with the honey and soya sauce. Put to one side.

 

Now prepare the Japanese hollandaise: Bring 180g butter to the boil. Place the egg yolks, yoghurt, rice vinegar, wasabi paste and a pinch of salt in a tall measuring jug and mix with a hand blender. Gradually mix the boiling (!) butter into the egg yolks using a hand blender. Season the hollandaise with salt and pepper to taste and keep the measuring jug warm in hot water.

 

Peel the bottom third of 500 g green asparagus and cut off the ends. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large pan. Add the asparagus to the pan, pour in 50 ml water and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to the boil briefly.

 

Fry the salmon fillets on the skin side in a little oil for about 4 minutes. Turn the salmon and fry for a further 2 minutes. Then turn again and baste with the marinade. Remove the salmon from the pan and reduce the marinade until thick. Brush the salmon with it. Serve the salmon with the hollandaise and asparagus. Enjoy your meal!

 

Wine recommendation:

 

WINE TIP: Dry Rielsing

  • Riesling (trocken)

the classic with a difference Franconian cider soup

the classic with a difference

  • 500 ml Weißwein (Spätlese)
  • 500 ml Geflügelbrühe
  • 350 ml Sahne
  • 30 Gramm Zwiebeln
  • 30 Gramm Weißes vom Lauch
  • 30 Gramm Sellerie
  • 30 Gramm Karotten
  • 30 Gramm Butter
  • 180 Gramm Mehl
  • 2 Lorbeerblätter
  • 1 EL Butterschmalz
  • 4 Scheiben Weißbrot
  • Nach Belieben Zucker, Muskat, Zimt, Salz

Sauté the vegetables in butter until lightly browned, dust with flour and then add the vegetable stock, wine and 250 ml cream. Add the spices and simmer for approx. 15 minutes.

 

Remove the crusts from the slices of white bread and cut into 1 cm cubes. Fry in hot clarified butter until golden brown and season with cinnamon, whip the remaining cream until stiff.

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<p> Strain the soup and flavour with nutmeg and salt.

 

Pour into deep plates, garnish with whipped cream and the cinnamon crusts.

  • Müller-Thurgau (trocken)
  • Silvaner (trocken)