When you think of Germany and the beverages they consume, beer generally comes to mind.  They are the third highest in consumption of beer in the world, but believe it or not, they're the highest (per capita) consumers of sparkling wine in the world!  The Germans serve it at every occasion and also commonly serve it as an aperitif.

Sekt (German word for sparkling) is most commonly made from the Riesling grape, but some vintners have been very successful with Chardonnay and Rose' style sparklers made from Pinot Noir. When Sekt is made the traditional way, (it goes thru a second fermentation in the bottle and hand riddler over an 18 to 24 month period), it's called Winzersekt.  The majority (95%) of Sekt is made the Charmat method, where the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks and then bottled under pressure.  Remember, it was discovered that certain varieties of grapes show more fresh fruit characteristics if made the Charmat method, Riesling being one of them.  If CO2 is injected to make the bubbles, it may not be called Sekt, but is called Schaumwein.

A little history:  Sekt was discovered by a monk at the Haut-Villers Abbey in 1700.  In 1856 Adam Henkell began making Sekt.  A clever mixing of wines from different years and locations resulted in a blend which has the same character every year.  After the Second World War, Sekt was an unaffordable luxury for many, so Otto Henkell junior put Henkell Trocken into quarter bottles called a piccolo which held two glasses; very popular in the 50's. 

Give yourself a pleasant treat and try a German Sekt for the holidays!

Marie Griffin, N/W Florida Wine Supervisor