All About Sekt: Sparkling Wines From Germany and Austria

Meet Sekt wine: Germany and Austria’s sparkling secret. From crisp, affordable bubbles to estate-grown, bottle-fermented showstoppers, this is the guide that will make you rethink what bubbly wine can be.

From crisp, refreshing Rieslings to elegant Pinot Noirs and surprisingly vibrant rosés, Sekt offers flavors you didn’t know you were missing. Some bottles are playful, easy-drinking, and perfect for weeknight celebrations, while others are meticulously estate-grown, bottle-fermented gems that could rival top Champagne.

In this guide, we’ll break down the classifications, explain the production methods, and give you the inside scoop on how to find bottles that are truly worth your cork pop.

Say hello to Sekt.

Getting to Know Sekt Wine

Since its inception in the 1820s, Sekt has endured a lifetime of mediocrity. This is because Sekt had low-quality standards, which allowed many inexpensive versions into the marketplace. Fortunately, changes in wine governance have led to a wave of exceptional quality Sekt, evolving its once-infamous reputation.

All About German Sekt Wine

There are approximately 2,000 producers of Sekt in Germany, the majority of which are small producers. Of course, as you’ll soon discover, a significant portion of the Sekt produced in Germany isn’t actually from Germany. Say what? Here’s a rundown of how German Sekt is classified and a few notes on how to find quality.

Sekt

Fizzy booze water from pretty much anywhere.

Unlike the word “Champagne,” “Sekt” is not a protected term. In Germany, the large producers can import grapes, juice, or wine to produce Sekt. These bargain-basement wines are labeled according to EU minimum standards and can’t use a protected designation of origin (PDO). Instead, these wines may say “Sekt of France” or “wine from multiple countries of the European Union” on the label.

Most of these Sekt wines are made using the Tank (Charmat) Method, like Prosecco. These wines are mostly for local consumption and are not typically available outside of Germany.

 

German Sekt

Base model German sparkling wine.

(aka Deutscher Sekt) These wines are exclusively from Germany and are typically made in a sweet, fizzy style, utilizing Germany’s more affordable varieties from economically viable regions. The wines are not allowed to use a protected designation of origin, but will have the country of origin on the bottle.

Most base model German Sekt wines are made using the Tank (Prosecco) Method. The quality level of German Sekt is akin to a fizzy Liebfraumilch.

 

German Sekt b.A.

Quality sparkling wine from a protected designation of origin wine region.

(aka Sekt bestimmter Anbaugebiete or Qualitätsschaumwein b.A.) Quality starts at Sekt b.A., which specifies one of the 13 official German wine regions (like Rheingau, Mosel, or Pfalz, etc.) Wines use regional grape varieties like Riesling, Silvaner, and Pinot Noir. It’s even possible to find some Sekt b.A. made like Champagne using the Traditional Method and a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.

Because there are no rules specifying winemaking method (producers use Tank, Transfer, or Traditional Method), it’s somewhat difficult to verify quality. The first thing to do would be to check the label to verify:

• The Sekt includes a specific German region on the label
• The method of production is the Traditional Method (often labeled “Klassische Flaschengärung”)
• The bottle has a quality control test number (in German, the A.P.Nr.)

The best thing to do would be to look into the producer and see if they list information about the wine, including grape varieties, length of aging, and vineyard areas.

 

VDP.SEKT

The country’s top estates now have their own high-quality Sekt classification.

When Germany’s top wine growers’ association (the VDP) introduced VDP.SEKT and VDP.SEKT.PRESTIGE® in 2021, it effectively created a sparkling wine category designed to compete with the world’s best.

Unlike broad “Sekt” labels that can include imported grapes, VDP bottlings must use estate-grown fruit, be made exclusively with traditional bottle fermentation, and undergo extended lees aging — far beyond legal minimums.

Within this system:

• VDP.SEKT requires traditional method production and elevated quality standards.
• VDP.SEKT.PRESTIGE® pushes even further with longer lees aging (at least 36 months) and stricter origin rules, putting it stylistically in Champagne territory.

 

Winzersekt

Exceptional single-varietal, estate-grown sparkling wines.

Winzersekt is Germany’s original attempt to define high-quality Sekt, before the VDP came into play. This style of Sekt is most commonly made with the Riesling variety, although it’s possible to find it produced from Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and even Pinot Noir (as rosé).

• Grape variety must be on the bottle
• Vintage must be on the label
• Produced using the traditional method
• Grapes must come from a producer’s or cooperative’s vineyards
• Wines must be made in the same region where they’re grown

 

Perlwein

Semi-sparkling carbonated wines.

The last classification of German sparkling is a bit of an odd duck. Perlwein is a carbonated wine (with about 1–2.5 atmospheres of pressure) that can either be really cheap and, to some, undrinkable, or technically a decent quality wine with a protected designation of origin (PDO). There seems to be no in-between. A few producers are making quality wines, but since Perlwein is not a protected term, it’s really difficult to verify what you’re getting into.

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All About Austrian Sekt Wine

Even though Germany produces the lion’s share of Sekt, Austria was first to set the quality standard. On Austrian Sekt Day in 2017 (October 22), the Austrian Sekt Commission introduced a set of labeling standards with three quality tiers. Here’s a rundown of what to expect with Austrian Sekt:

Sekt

Fizzy booze water from anywhere.

This level mirrors German Sekt, in that the bottle is not allowed to include a protected designation of origin (PDO) and will include either the country of grape origin, like “Vin de France” or even “wine from multiple countries of the European Union” on the label.

This entry‑level category carries no obligation for grapes to come from Austria — so even though the label says ‘Sekt,’ you’re not guaranteed Austrian origin. That flexibility often means these bottles are lower cost and produced with fewer origin controls.

 

Austrian Sekt

Base model Austrian sparkling wine.

(aka “Austrian Qualitätsschaumwein”) This wine is not allowed to use a regional designation other than “Produced in Austria,” where it’s required to be made from 36 official grape varieties. Additionally, Austrian Sekt must have a minimum pressure of 3.5 atmospheres (3.5 bar – the same as Prosecco). The vintage and variety may also be displayed.

 

Austrian Sekt “Klassik”

Austrian sparkling wines from a protected designation of origin.

The first level of “serious” Austrian Sekt wine quality begins with “Klassik,” which must be sourced exclusively from one of Austria’s major wine regions. What’s cool is the additional aging requirement of nine months on the lees–a process that adds creaminess to sparkling wine. Still, Klassik is not quite at the basic Champagne (which requires 15 months of lees aging) level. In terms of production standards, Klassik is much closer to Prosecco than Champagne.

• Nine months lees aging
• Vintage dating is allowed
• Tank method and transfer method sparkling production is allowed
• Grapes must originate from just one of Austria’s wine regions
• Release date on or after Austrian Sekt Day (Oct 22) of the following year

What’s great about Klassik is that many wines feature Austria’s awesome, zippy Grüner Veltliner variety, and they are usually below the $20 mark. Grab some Thai take-out and have a party.

 

Austrian Sekt “Reserve”

Premium Austrian sparkling wines from a protected designation of origin.

The second level of quality Austrian Sekt is “Reserve.” The big difference here is that wines must be made with the Traditional Champagne Method, which is the same method as Champagne (duh)! What makes bubble heads excited about “Reserve” is the aging requirement of at least 18 months on the lees. Putting this classification on par with (or better than) non-vintage Champagne.

• 18 months lees aging
• Vintage dating allowed
• Traditional sparkling wine method only
• Grapes must originate from just one of Austria’s wine regions
• Release date on or after Austrian Sekt Day (Oct 22), 2 years after the harvest
• Only Brut, Extra Brut, or Brut Nature styles
• Grapes must be harvested by hand

For a wine connoisseur, Reserve Sekt has all the pedigrees of excellence.

 

Austrian Sekt “Grosse Reserve”

Exceptional aged Austrian sparkling wines from a single village.

Grosse Reserve (“grand reserve”) was first released on Oct 22, 2018, and it’s the highest level of Austrian Sekt wine. Aging on the lees must be no less than 36 months, putting it on par with vintage Champagne (which is also 36 months). Unlike Champagne, however, winemaking rules for Grosse Reserve restrict blending red wine with white wine to make rosé. The additional requirement of being from a small village is very similar to Champagne’s Premier Cru / Grand Cru classification system.

• 36 months lees aging
• Vintage dating allowed
• Traditional sparkling wine method only
• Grapes must originate from a single municipality (village) and may have a registered vineyard designation
• Release date on or after Austrian Sekt Day (Oct 22), 3 years after the harvest
• Only Brut, Extra Brut, or Brut Nature styles
• Grapes must be harvested by hand
• Pressed only with a basket or pneumatic press

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Last Word on Sekt Wine

Over the past decade, both Austria and Germany have transformed what “Sekt” means — Austria kicking things off with its strict Sekt g.U. system and Germany accelerating the movement with Winzersekt’s resurgence and the new VDP.SEKT standards.

While each country took a different path, the outcome is the same: a rising tide of traditional-method, terroir-driven bottles that’s pushing Sekt far beyond its bargain-bubbly reputation. The future of Central European sparkling wine has never looked sharper.