Lees Aging & Dosage

How long an Austrian Sekt g.U. must rest on the lees depends on the tier. Klassik requires at least nine months, Reserve at least eighteen, and Große Reserve at least thirty. The longer the bottle remains in the cellar, the more the flavor shifts from fresh fruit toward brioche, nut, and cream.

The reason for this is yeast autolysis. After fermentation, the yeast cells die and break down. In doing so, they release proteins and sugars into the wine, giving the Sekt a creamy core and a fine mouthfeel. Anyone who sees the bottles in Heiligenstadt sees this waiting process laid out in hundreds of rows.

October 22 is a fixed date in this process. Klassik may not be sold before this date in the following year, Reserve not before October 22 of the second year after harvest, and Große Reserve not before October 22 of the third year. This date has become Austrian Sekt Day, when Schlumberger invites visitors into the cellars.

Removing the lees comes next. The bottles are riddled until the sediment collects in the neck, then it's expelled during disgorgement. This is followed by the dosage, a small addition of wine and sugar that rounds out the acidity.

For Reserve and Große Reserve, the ordinance requires no more than 12 grams of sugar per liter, meaning the dosage falls in the Brut or drier range. Brut Nature has less than 3 grams, Extra Brut up to 6 grams, Brut under 12 grams. Extra Dry means 12 to 17 grams, and trocken (dry) even 17 to 32 grams, making it sweeter than Brut.