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In the European sparkling wine scene, quality is exploding: Austria led the way in 2015 with the umbrella brand "Sekt Austria", followed by the German VDP with its sparkling wine statute in 2021. But sparkling wine is also getting better and better in other countries. Here are our holiday tips from all over Europe!

There is a lot of movement in the European sparkling wine scene. Austria laid the foundation for the production of top sparkling wine under a protected umbrella brand in 2015 with the introduction of "Sekt Austria". The German VDP followed suit in 2021 with its own sparkling wine statute. In both countries, the qualities have been exploding in recent years.

Moet Hennesy

In Spain, Corpinnat, a group of nine Catalan producers, has split off from the large, somewhat watered-down DO Cava in order to set an example for first-class, artisanal sparkling wine made exclusively from certified organic vineyards and traditional grape varieties. In Italy, there is much more than the well-known Prosecco, Franciacorta and Trento. Most sparkling wine fans are familiar with the sparkling wines from South Tyrol, but who has heard of Lessini Durello? Of Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico? About the fact that there is also first-class bottle-fermented Lambrusco? Then it's about time!

England is trying to emulate Champagne. Since the beginnings of high-quality sparkling wine production at the end of the 1980s, over 100 companies have emerged in the south-east of England that specialise in sparkling wine. No wonder, as they share the same geological conditions as Champagne.

Champagne in general! Every day, it seems, a new quality-orientated private winery is springing up. You can no longer keep up with the tasting. The region is still dominated by the big houses in terms of quantity, but in terms of quality they are facing enormous competition, and not just in terms of numbers. Behind the overpowering Champagne, the other sparkling wines of France do not always have it easy. But there is also plenty to discover among the French cremants from the country's various growing regions.

Champagne was perhaps not a pioneer in one respect, even if the trend there is moving in the same direction: the trend towards less and less or no dosage at all. For a long time, most top sparkling wines had a dosage of 6 to 12 grams of sugar per litre and thus the designation "Brut" was the rule, but today a large proportion of the best sparkling wines are marketed as "Extra Brut" or even without any dosage (for which a whole range of designations are used). Today, many producers even use a minimal dosage behind "Brut"; the term is often only used because consumers are used to it. It has long since been understood that conspicuous The use of dosage does more harm than good to first-class sparkling wine. And for lovers of sparkling wines that are not quite dry or even sweet, there is enough on offer anyway.

All in all, it is no exaggeration to say that every sparkling wine fan can look forward to heavenly times. They have already begun!

We have currently tasted almost 400 sparkling wines. Sparkling wine producers from all over Europe were invited. As the participation from the different regions varied greatly, our selection cannot necessarily be called representative. Nevertheless, the selection of excellent sparkling wines in all price ranges is so large that there is guaranteed to be something for everyone who loves sparkling wine. And probably for those who don't yet.

European sparkling wines for the festive season France

European sparkling wines for the festive season Germany

European sparkling wines for the festive season Italy

European sparkling wines for the festive season Other European countries

European sparkling wines for the festive season Non-alcoholic sparkling wine

European sparkling wines for the festive season The best of the best

European sparkling wines for the festive season The best sparkling wines up to €15

European sparkling wines for the festive season The best single-varietal sparkling wines by grape variety

European sparkling wines for the festive season Chardonnay

European sparkling wines for the festive season Pinot Noir

European sparkling wines for the festive season Riesling

European sparkling wines for the festive season Durella

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