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.

8 - 10°

are ideal drinking temperatures
3,5

bar minimum
9 Monate

Fermentation in the bottle
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

Asparagus again at last Rocket salad with green asparagus and turkey breast fillet

A light, young Rivaner goes well with green asparagus.

400g Grüner Spargel
100g Rucola
400g Putenbrustfilets
200g Kirschtomaten
4 Eier
1 EL Basilikum-Pesto
1TL Butter
2 EL Olivenöl
2 EL Weißwein-Essig
etwas Salz, Pfeffer

Peel the lower third of the asparagus and cut off the ends. Cut the spears in half and cook in boiling salted water with 1 tsp butter for approx. 7 mins. Set the asparagus water aside.

Cook the eggs until almost firm (the yolk should still be a little soft), peel and cut into quarters. Cut the turkey breast fillet into strips.

Fry the pine nuts briefly without fat in a non-stick pan. Then add a little fat directly to the pan and fry the turkey breast strips. Then keep them warm.

Mix the pesto with the white wine vinegar, 5 tbsp of the asparagus water, the olive oil and salt and pepper in a salad bowl to make a dressing.

Wash the rocket and add to the dressing. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the bowl. Mix in the asparagus and turkey. Finally, garnish with the quartered eggs and pine nuts.</p

This goes well with freshly baked ciabatta bread.

Wine recommendation:

A light Rivaner from the last harvest, fresh as spring, with delicate flavours.

Müller-Thurgau (brut)

Rucola mit grünen Spargel und Putenbrustfilet

Wine recommendation: A white wine with a mellow flavour such as Pinot Gris or Chardonnay. Asparagus risotto al scampi

Risotto with green asparagus, scampi and parmesan.

400g Grüner Spargel
200g Küchenfertige Scampis
200g Risotto-Reis
250ml Trockener Weißwein
500ml Gemüsebrühe
50g Parmesan
1 Zwiebel
4EL Olivenöl
1Dose Safranfäden
etwas Salz und Pfeffer

Peel the lower third of the asparagus and cut off the ends. Cut into 2 cm long pieces, cook in boiling salted water for approx. 5 minutes and drain. Cut the onion into thin slices and finely chop the garlic.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil, add the onion slices, garlic and rice
.

sauté until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine. Season with salt, pepper

and saffron to flavour. Add a little stock, bring to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly. Gradually add the remaining stock and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. The rice should still have a bite on the inside.

Wash the scampi and grate the Parmesan. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the scampi for approx. 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the asparagus, scampi and parmesan into the risotto and serve.

Wine recommendation:

A white wine with a mellow flavour such as Pinot Gris or Chardonnay. Alternatively, a well-chilled, light Trollinger or Blanc de Noir from Pinot Noir.

Pinot Gris (extra brut)
Chardonnay (extra brut)
Trollinger (brut)
Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (brut)

with semi-frozen goat's milk Lavender waffles

with semi-frozen goat's milk

2 Stück Eigelb
60 ml Ziegenmilch
500 Gramm weiße Kuvertüre
125 ml Sahne
Abrieb und Saft einer halben Orange
2 cl Tresterbrand
8 Blatt Minze
125 Gramm Mehl

Semi-frozen goat's milk: Beat the egg yolks and goat's milk in a bowl over a hot bain-marie until creamy. Remove from the bain-marie and beat the cream until cold. Flavour with the zest of the orange and the marc brandy.

Liquefy the couverture in a bain-marie and stir into the lukewarm egg mixture. Whip the cream until stiff and carefully fold in. Line a parfait tin (triangular or gutter shape) with cling film. Pour in the mixture and smooth out. Cover well with cling film and leave to freeze in the freezer for at least 8 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving, remove the mould from the freezer and turn the parfait out of the mould. Remove the foil and cut the semi-frozen parfait into 8 slices.

Lavender wafers: Lightly mash the butter in a mixing bowl with a fork. Add the sugar and stir a little. Add half of the milk, the lavender sugar and the baking powder. Stir in the eggs and finally the rest of the milk. Mix everything well with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes to create a homogeneous, slightly liquid mixture. Bake the batter in batches in a waffle iron until golden brown.</p

Arrange 2 slices of semifreddo on each waffle on a flat plate and decorate with mint leaves.

Riesling (halbtrocken & feinherb)

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.

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.