"Making wine is like having children; you love them all,
but boy, are they different." --- Bunny
Finkelstein (co-owner of Judd’s Hill Winery)
Despite that I’m getting on in years,
I still enjoy Sekt occasionally.
Holster that thought cowboy! Sekt
is sparkling wine from Germany. And
Germany follows only France and Italy in producing sparkling wine. That puts Germany ahead of Spain (4th)
and even the U.S. (6th). In
fact, they drink a lot of Sekt in Germany and you may want to try it too –
especially lake side or on a picnic. Or watching a sunset from your patio or
deck at day’s end. This bottle from
Weingut Fitz-Ritter is 100% Riesling from the Pfalz region in southwest
Germany. Imported by Winesellers Ltd. Importing
& Marketing, I found it at Binny’s for under $17. Its sweetness level is “Extra Troken”
(meaning dry) though its initial taste of sweet red apple presents a hint of
residual sugar on the palate. This is
balanced by the crisp acidity that makes the Riesling wines of Germany so well
regarded worldwide.
Despite too that this sparkling wine
is made in the traditional method (second fermentation in bottle, aged on the
lees) I recommend it especially for those finding Champagne and other wines of
sparkling type that are classically made (Cava, Methode Champonoise, Metodo
Classico, Cremant, etc.) too “yeasty”.
The autolysis (dead yeast cells in contact with the wine after
fermentation while aging) is what makes my bell ring, but all palates are
personal and some are soured by a strong taste of brioche, toast or bread
dough. 
Because the Riesling grapes for this
wine are all old vine and from the sunny micro-climate of Middle-Haardt in
Pfalz, it is the fruit of ripe
Riesling that powers through. Some have
referred to a “slightly toasty (note) on the nose,” though I found the aromas all
bright and fresh and chalky. Others also
refer to a palate offering pineapple and tangerine. Still others: green apple, lime and orange
with aromas of lychee, pear and coconut.
So be it. Again all palates are personal. An Alsatian Gewürztraminer
defines lychee for me. And for me, this
Sekt was red ripe apple: A simple yet
pleasurable experience. The Phalz (lying
to the West of the Rhine, in the south, sunny and warm) has been known for
producing inexpensive wines. Its reputation
does not carry the weight of the Mosel or the Rheingau. Yet its simplicity is its charm. An uncomplicated, easy-drinking bubbly with a
good mousse, fine bubbles and a clean taste.
If there’s something in experiencing that pleasure that isn’t a good
thing, I haven’t found it.
The Fitz-Ritter family has been making
wine since 1785. And the estate belongs to the “Verband Deutscher Pradikats”
(VDP) founded in 1910 and whose members are dedicated to organic, sustainable
farming.
Prost!
…………….. Jim
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