Inscrutible gift

[jsolomon]

Way back in the obscured, misty recesses of my college career, I took a class called "Fine Food and Wine". I walked out of there very cocksure and full of knowledge. I was certain that I Knew It All.

Of course, much time has passed since then, and I have learned that I know but a drop in the bucket of all there is to know about wine. Thus brings this current question.

How is German bubbly?

German sparking wine. My nephew, a very good gifter, produced a bottle of Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Deutscher Sekt, Traditionelle Flaschengarung.

I know it is a 2002 Riesling Extra Dry bottle of bubbly, but I'm curious about people's experiences and expectations of a 3 year-old bottle of German bubbly.

[wattacetti]

I had sekt for the first time during a tasting menu at the Globe@YVR restaurant in Vancouver. Interesting stuff - it's quite dry and is not at all like what I would have expected since the only other German bubbly that is readily available is Hochtaler.

RvK is one of my favorite producers so I think you are in for a treat.

[David McDuff]

Rest assured, there's no need to be perplexed. The best German Rieslings, even when vinified bone dry, can be quite age-worthy. There is absolutely no reason why this should not apply to Sekt (sparkling wine) as well, particularly if it is a varietal Riesling as yours appears to be. The key, as always, is to look for a great farmer/producer and then to think about the specific quality of any particular vintage.

von Kesselstatt is a solid producer from the Mosel, so no worries there. 2002 was a good vintage in most of the Mosel so this also should be no problem. There is no information in the name of the wine as provided to suggest that it comes from any particular vineyard; it may, in fact, come from fruit sourced from multiple locations or regions. Nonetheless, three years of age is actually minimal, assuming the wine has been handled properly and was well made to begin with.

Traditionelle Flaschengarung, by the way, is the german term for the Champagne (or traditional) method of producing bottle fermented sparkling wines. Most Sekts I've come across have been Brut rather than Extra Dry so I'd be interested to see you post a tasting note when the occasion arises.

Drink up and enjoy.

[Brad Ballinger]

I've had German sparkling wine from riesling, chardonnay, spatburgunder (pinot noir), and weissburgunder (pinot blanc). Almost all of them were enjoyed in Germany. I brought back a bottle of Riesling Sekt from a producer called Meier. In Germany, I remember it being nicely balanced with a bit of a cherry profile. I opened it at a party where the theme was sparkling wine from anywhere but Champagne. Amidst the wines at that event, I remember it being sweeter comparatively than the others, but not overwhelmingly so.