The Difference Between Sekt And Champagne

Is champagne the better sparkling wine? The name alone evokes quality and it's considered the king of sparkling wines. Yet, great Sekts exist, no question about it. The main differences lie in the manufacturing process and origin.

Champagne - the king of sparkling wines

Champagne is a special sparkling wine that is only produced in the French wine-growing region of Champagne. Any bottle labelled champagne must come from Champagne, approx. 100 kilometres northeast of Paris. The cultivation area (approx. 35,000 hectares) for the grapes is precisely demarcated, and here Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir are grown to make champagne.

Champagne is considered a luxury sparkling wine and its high price is partly due to the production process, which follows the strict rules of the "méthode champenoise". Only three specific grape varietals are used and the grapes must be harvested by hand. Fermentation, which lasts at least 15 months, traditionally takes place in the bottle during champagne production. This second fermentation in the bottle gives champagne especially fine pearls. And the bottles are closed with natural corks.

Sekt production

Sekt is a quality sparkling wine, which is given different names in European countries. Luxembourgers speak of Vin Mousseux or Crémant. Italians enjoy chilled Prosecco or Spumante. Hauersekt is drunk in Austria. In English-speaking countries, it's tingling sparkling wine that stimulates the connoisseur's palate. All are similar to German Sekt.

When it comes to the production of Sekt, the rules are much looser. The growing area for the grapes is neither prescribed nor limited and the production is not strictly controlled as in Champagne. The fermentation time for Sekt is at least six to nine months. Of course, the production of Sekt is also subject to certain quality requirements (e.g. that the alcohol content must be at least 10% and no carbon dioxide may be added), but winemakers have significantly more freedom than in Champagne. There are also clear differences in quality. Inexpensive Sekts are usually fermented in large tanks. Higher quality Sekts, on the other hand, mature in the bottle for up to nine months, similar to champagne. This is usually indicated on the label by "traditionelle Flaschengärung" (traditional bottle fermentation).