Sekt:
Effervescent Germany and Austria

BY ANNE KREBIEHL MW | DECEMBER 9, 2025

Sekt: Effervescent Germany and Austria

This third Vinous Sekt report once again
combines the effervescent efforts of Austria and Germany from a stunning geographic
reach. Readers will find Austrian Sekts from Niederösterreich, Burgenland and Steiermark,
and German Sekts from Mosel, Saar, Ruwer, Mittelrhein, Rheingau, Nahe,
Rheinhessen and Pfalz, as well as Franken, Württemberg and Sachsen. Over one quarter
of these wines are pure Rieslingsekts, while more than half are made from the
usual trio of sparkling varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier). Brut
Nature styles and low dosage feature heavily across both countries. While quality
is variable, the best Sekts can easily compete with the finest sparkling wines
in the world.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1765293243331-Sekt+Cover_Vinous.jpg">Bandwagons

I cannot avoid saying this: there are still
too many Sekts whose only difference from a still wine is the fact that they
have bubbles—wines that were not fully conceived as sparkling styles, even when
made with ambition. Bottling a Sekt from a single site alone does not
automatically confer quality or character, nor does long lees-aging. These
elements only make sense when a base wine itself is made for the eventual goal
of sparkling wine from the outset. Too many Sekts still feel like an
afterthought—like producers jumping on the bandwagon. The beauty, of course, is
that there now is a bandwagon, a true Sekt category in both Germany and
Austria with enough credibility, quality and weight to be taken seriously.

Quality

Old hands who have scoped out their sites
over many years, who have perfected their methods, who were amongst the
pioneers to revive the Sekt category often perform the best, though others
succeed as well. Caroline Diel of Schlossgut Diel explained that making good
Sekt depends on doing so “right from the start,” meaning that fruit destined to
become Sekt must be farmed differently from fruit destined for still wine. Ideal
parameters shift towards higher acidity and moderate alcohol, but still full
ripeness, and some sites are better at delivering that than others. Northerly latitude
helps achieve these characteristics. The German Sekts in this report hail from
latitudes that range from 51.16°N to 48.8°N. The Austrian Sekts span from 48.74°N in the
Weinviertel—just south of the Czech border—to 46.6°N on the
Slovenian border in Styria, but vineyards there are at altitudes of at least
300 meters. For comparison, Champagne vineyards reach from 49.3°N
in the Massif de Saint-Thierry to just below 48°N in the
Aube.

Hansjörg Rebholz of Ökonomierat Rebholz noted
that every single step of their winemaking is now done in-house, from tirage to
disgorgement, ensuring seamless control of every process and reflecting a
serious investment in the Sekt category. Rebholz has also taken to aging his
wines in an abandoned mine tunnel deep in the Pfälzerwald, just as Max von
Kunow of Von Hövel ages his Sekts in a limestone cave in the upper Mosel
Valley. Regarding vinification, Rebholz emphasized, “Pressing is the be-all and
end-all.” Gunter Künstler shared that his pressing regimen is completely
modelled on Champagne—he even uses a Coquard press.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1765293343526-Sekt+Riesling+Collage_Vinous.jpg">Rieslingsekt

The majority of Rieslingsekts in this
report hail from Germany, where traditional method Riesling has a long history.
I discussed the challenges of making Sekt from Riesling in my <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/popping-corks-the-second-vinous-sekt-report-may-2025">most
recent report</a>. Rieslingsekts come in a range of styles, from those where
the varietal nature of the wine is underlined by dosage made from sweet (but
unbotrytized) Riesling Beerenauslese at Van Volxem to far more autolytic
styles. That Rieslingsekt can age is no secret, and many vintage-dated wines
prove that. However, this year I also tasted two Rieslingsekts that are simply hors
catégorie, namely a 1992 and 1984 Sekt from Weingut Peter Lauer. Florian
Lauer releases these museum pieces in tiny quantities, and whoever is lucky
enough to taste them realizes that they are no longer just Sekts, but deeply
visceral flavor experiences. These wines no longer fit any existing paradigms
of sparkling wines and are individualistic explorations of umami depth. Each
bottle is an adventure.

Varietal Breadth

Outside of Rieslingsekt, more than half of
the wines in this report were made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot
Meunier, and thus compare directly on the world stage. The best of these wines
easily hold their own. Pinot Blanc can also yield successful results, whether
in a blend with the traditional varieties or bottled separately. I am, as ever,
skeptical of other grape varieties as Sekt, exception for Zweigelt, which makes
absolutely lovely Sekts. I am less sure of Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier,
Sauvignon Blanc or Traminer.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1765293364271-Sekt+Non+Riesling+Collage_Vinous.jpg">Brutish Obsessions

An astonishing 44% of the Sekts reviewed
here have zero dosage, whether that is declared as Brut Nature on the label or
not. Twenty percent have low dosages up to 3 grams per liter, and only 8% have
dosages above 8 grams per liter. This drive towards low and no dosage was
already clear last year and can only be interpreted as a wish to mask as little
character as possible with sweetness. What is even clearer is that lovers of
fine fizz have a rewarding hunting ground in Austria and Germany. 

I tasted the majority of the wines for this
report in London in October 2025, with the remainder tasted during my Germany
visits over the summer of 2025.© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/popping-corks-the-second-vinous-sekt-report-may-2025">Popping Corks: The Second Vinous Sekt Report</a>, Anne Krebiehl MW, May 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2024-mosel-saar-and-ruwer-tales-of-woe-and-wow-oct-2025">2024 Mosel, Saar and Ruwer: Tales of Woe and Wow</a>, Anne Krebiehl MW, October 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/rheingau-and-nahe-2024-rain-frost-and-unexpected-brilliance-sep-2025">Rheingau and Nahe 2024: Rain, Frost and Unexpected Brilliance</a>, Anne Krebiehl MW, September 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2023-burgenland-and-austria-s-east-gorgeous-reds-aromatic-whites-and-killer-sweets-mar-2025">2023 Burgenland and Austria’s East: Gorgeous Reds, Aromatic Whites and Killer Sweets</a>, Anne Krebiehl MW, March 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/evoe-german-and-austrian-sekt-report-mar-2024">Evoe! German and Austrian Sekt Report</a>, Anne Krebiehl MW, March 2024

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