Tasting

A Riesling Sekt from the Rheingau can often be recognized by its aroma alone: lemon peel, green apple, sometimes quince, and after longer lees aging, bread crust. On the palate it feels lean, dry, and subtly mineral, with an acidity that keeps the mouth fresh without biting.

Good examples of this style include the bottle-fermented Sekts from the Schloss Vaux Sekt manufactory in Eltville, which, according to trade reports, focuses clearly on Riesling; the Georg Breuer Riesling Sekt Brut, a Winzersekt b.A.; and the Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Sekt Brut from Balthasar Ress. A brand Sekt like MM Extra, by contrast, represents the style of a large house focused on consistent flavor.

The glass should be a tulip shape rather than a flat coupe. The tulip bowl captures the aroma, and its narrower opening holds the bead longer. A coupe lets the carbon dioxide escape quickly, while a very bulbous white wine glass disperses it too much.

Sekt tastes best well chilled, around six to eight degrees Celsius. Too cold, and the aromas shut down; too warm, and it foams over when poured and tastes flabby. Half an hour in the fridge before opening is usually enough.

When opening: remove the foil and wire cage, place your thumb on the cork, hold the bottle at an angle, and turn the bottle slowly, not the cork. It should give way with a quiet sigh, not a bang. That way, the Sekt stays in the glass and not on the table.