D4 Sparkling: Germany Flashcards Preview

WSET® Level 4 D4 Sparkling Wine > D4 Sparkling: Germany > Flashcards

Flashcards in D4 Sparkling: Germany Deck (37)
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1
Q

What is the climate of Germany, and how does that affect the grapes that will go into German Sekt?

A
  • Cool continental climate;
  • Grapes will have low potential alcohol and high acidity, which is optimal for base wines for German sparkling wine.
2
Q

Why did Sekt production in Germany take off in the mid-1950s?

A

Sourcing of cheap base wines (outside of Germany) became available and permissible in the EU.

3
Q

Today’s Sekt is:

  • high volume, cheap
  • low volume, expensive
A

High volume, cheap

4
Q

What is the one method of production that Sekt is not allowed to be made in?

A

Carbonation

Sekt must be made through secondary fermentation

5
Q

What are the four categories of Sekt?

A
  1. Sekt;
  2. Deutscher Sekt;
  3. Deutscher Sekt bA;
  4. Winzersekt.
6
Q

When you see just the term Sekt on a bottle, you know that it is:

  • Tank or Traditional Method?
  • Juice sourced from where?
  • Vinified where?
  • Always Non-vintage or Vintage?
  • Describe its general style.
A
  • Tank Method;
  • Sourced from inexpensive regions of southern Europe;
  • Made sparkling in Germany;
  • Non-vintage;
  • Light fruit intensity, not autolytic – Brut or Extra Dry.
7
Q

What is the period from tirage to release for tank method Sekt?

A

Can only be sold six months after second fermentation has been started, with a minimum of 90 days sur lie OR 30 days if the lees are stirred.

8
Q

When you see the term Deutscher Sekt on a bottle, you know that it is:

  • Tank or Traditional Method?
  • Juice sourced from where?
  • Can it be made from one grape variety or several?
  • Is it Non-vintage or Vintage?
A
  • Can be Tank or Traditional Method;
  • Sourced from Germany, although region not allowed on label;
  • Can be single grape variety (minimum 85%) or blend;
  • Can be Non-vintage or Vintage.
9
Q

When you see the term Deutscher Sekt bA on a bottle, you know that it is:

  • Tank or Traditional Method?
  • Juice sourced from where?
  • What does the bA stand for?
A
  • Can be Tank or Traditional Method;
  • Juice sourced from one of Germany’s 13 Anbaugebiete;
  • bestimmter Anbaugebiete (“of a defined region”)
    • meaning the name of region MUST appear on label, e.g. Rheinhessen
10
Q

When you see the term Winzersekt on a bottle, you know that it is:

  • Tank or Traditional Method?
  • Details about grapes’ origin and bottling?
  • Most commonly used grape?
  • What must appear on the label?
  • Typically what style (Brut Nature, Brut, etc.)?
  • What is its general profile if made from Riesling?
A
  • Traditional Method only;
  • Estate-grown fruit and estate bottled;
  • Most often Riesling (but can be Pinot varieties and others);
  • Label must have: vintage, grape, producer’s name;
  • Typically Brut;
  • Green apple, white peach, toasty autolytic notes, high acidity.
11
Q

What is the minimum amount of time Traditional Method Sekt must spend sur lie?

A

Traditional Method Sekt (Winzersekt) must spend a minimum of 9 months sur lie.

12
Q

What is the general quality of Winzersekt, and where does the pricing hover?

A
  • Very good to outstanding quality;
  • Mid- to premium-priced.
13
Q

Is Perlwein a Sekt?

Give details surrounding Perlwein - how it can be made, quality level, and permissible pressure.

Is Perlwein cheaper or more expensive than Sekt?

A

No, Perlwein is not Sekt.

Perlwein is a sparkling wine, also known as Secco, made either by Tank Method or carbonation.

Its base wine is inexpensive and is bottled with less than 3 atmospheres of pressure.

Perlwein is cheaper than Sekt.

14
Q

What are the grapes allowed in Sekt?

Which grape makes the most reputable Sekt?

A
  • Riesling
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Blanc
  • Pinot Grigio
  • Pinot Noir
  • Sylvaner
  • Scheurebe
15
Q

When Riesling is made into Sekt, does it go through malolactic conversion?

A

No, not typically – Sekt needs to retain high acidity and producers prefer to focus on Riesling’s distinctive floral, green apple and lemon primary notes rather than buttery flavors from malo.

16
Q

Give a quick overview of how high volume Sekt (Tank Method) is made.

A
  • Low-aromatic grape varietals grown in high production areas of southern EU are picked early for correct acidity and neutral aromas;
  • Grapes crushed and made into base wine in the area in which they’re harvested;
  • Base wine chilled;
  • Base wine sent to Germany via truck or rail;
  • Made sparkling using Tank Method in Germany.

Remember: Sekt can be sold 6 months after second fermentation has been started, with a minimum of 90 days sur lie or 30 days if the lees are stirred.

17
Q

Go through the steps of how Tank Method Sekt is made.

A
  1. Primary fermentation happens at low temperatures to retain freshness;
  2. Blending - this ensures consistency for the brand;
  3. Secondary fermentation happens in tank;
    • higher-quality Sekt will age sur lie 3-6 months;
  4. Filtration;
  5. Bottling;
  6. Market release.
18
Q

What is the benefit of making sparkling wine using Tank Method?

A

Large volumes of wine can be made and released after a relatively short production cycle, reducing cost and prices.

19
Q

For German-grown grapes that will go into Deutscher Sekt, Deutscher Sekt bA, or Winzersekt, when are they typically harvested?

By which method are they harvested?

A
  • Grapes are typically picked early for sparkling wine, with under-ripe grapes being selected out resulting in wines with high acidity and fresh primary fruit;
  • Hand harvested.
20
Q

In Germany, what do some producers use for dosage?

A

Mature sweet Riesling to add richness – typically for premium bottlings.

21
Q

Perlwein is often sweeter than Sekt.

If it is labelled Trocken (dry), it can have up to ___ g/L of residual sugar.

If it is labelled as Halbtrocken (off-dry), it has between ___ to ___ g/L of residual sugar.

If it is labelled as mild, it has more than ___ g/L residual sugar.

A

Trocken = up to 35g/L

Halbtrocken = 33-50g/L

Mild = more than 50g/L

22
Q

What percent rule does Sekt follow if there is a declared grape and vintage on the bottle?

A

85%

23
Q

Tank Method Sekt can be sold ___ months after the second fermentation has started.

A

6 months

24
Q

In Germany, Tank Method Sekt must spend a minimum of ___ days sur lie, or ___ days if the lees are stirred.

A

Minimum 90 days sur lie, or 30 days if stirred

25
Q

In Germany, Transfer Method sparkling wines must spend a minimum of ___ months sur lie and can be released for sale after ___ months.

A

3 months sur lie

Released for sale after 9 months

26
Q

In Germany, Traditional Method sparkling wines must spend a minimum of ___ months sur lie.

A

9 months

27
Q

What is the difference between:

  • Flaschengärung
  • Klassiche Flaschengärung
A

Flaschengärung

  • “bottle fermented”;
  • may be disgorged by Transfer Method.

Klassiche Flaschengärung

  • “classic bottle fermentation”;
  • also known as Traditional Method; cannot be Transfer Method.
28
Q

What are the 3 segments/price categories of Sekt?

A
  1. Low end
    • retail up to €4 (1/2 of all Sekt sales!)
  2. Standard quality
    • retail up to €8
  3. High quality
    • shows promising development in >€8
29
Q

Since 1902, what has been automatically included with every bottle of Sekt?

A

Government tax of €1.02

30
Q

Where is the majority of Winzersekt sold?

Where is the majority of big brand Sekt sold?

A
  • Majority sold from the winemaker’s cellar, restaurants, and specialist wine retailers;
  • Big brands sold in supermarkets.
31
Q

Name 3 large Sekt companies.

A
  1. Rotkäppchen-Mumm
  2. Henkell + Co.
  3. Schloss Wachenheim

  • each company has multiple brands
  • these 3 companies account for 80% of Sekt production

32
Q

How much Sekt is exported?

A

10%

That means 90% stays (and is consumed) in the domestic market!

33
Q

2018 VDP Classification requires VDP members to make Sekt under these standards:

A
  • Must be estate fruit grown especially for Sekt production;
  • Hand harvested and picked early;
  • Whole-cluster pressed;
  • Traditional Method only.
34
Q

Since 2020, what are the 3 tiers of VDP Sekt?
What are their sur lie aging requirements?

A
  1. NV VDP Sekt - requires minimum 15 months sur lie;
  2. Vintage VDP Sekt - 24 months sur lie;
  3. VDP Sekt Prestige® - 36 months sur lie.
35
Q

What is the minimum alcohol content for Sekt?

A

10% abv

36
Q

What are the minimum bars of pressure for Sekt?

A

3.5 atmospheres

37
Q

What is the difference between Qualitätsperlwein bA and Perlwein?

A

Qualitätsperlwein bA is Perlwein made from German grapes from a specified region.

Perlwein is sparkling wine whose base juice came from the EU (countries other than Germany).