Austrian Sparkling Wine Day Date in the current year: October 22, 2024

Many people think that the terms “sparkling wine” and “Champagne” are interchangeable, but in reality Champagne is just one type of sparkling wine, albeit the oldest and most famous one. Only sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of France using a specific process can be legally called Champagne.

Sparkling wines produced in other regions and countries may have their own names: Crémant in some parts of France, Belgium and Luxembourg, Cava in Spain, Espumante in Portugal, Prosecco, Franciacorta, Asti and Lambrusco in Italy, and Sekt in Germany and Austria.

It should be noted that German Sekt is different from Austrian Sekt. The majority of German Sekt is produced using the Charmat method that involves fermentation in a stainless steel pressure tank, whereas Austrian Sekt is typically made using the traditional method, the same that is used for the production of Champagne.

The history of Austrian sparkling wines dates back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The first producer of Sekt in Austria was Robert Alwin Schlumberger. Born in Stuttgart, he worked for one of the leading Champagne houses in France. After marrying Sophie Kirchner, the daughter of a wealthy Austrian factory owner, he moved to Vienna and came up with the idea to produce sparkling wines from Austrian grapes using the traditional method.

Schlumberger moved to Vienna in 1842 and rented several vineyards in Bad Vöslau, a small spa town in Lower Austria. He presented his first sparkling wine, named Vöslauer weißer Schaumwein (white sparkling wine of Vöslau), in 1846. Interestingly, the first Austrian sparkling wine was produced from Blauer Portugieser, which is a red grape variety, similarly to how Pinot Noir is used in the production of Champagne. It was an immediate success, and so the history of Austrian Sekt began.

Most of the grapes used to produce Austrian Sekt come from the Wineviertel wine-growing region in Lower Austria. The two most common Austrian grape varieties that are used to make sparkling wines are Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling. These grapes give Austrian Sekt a golden hue. Blaufränkisch grapes are used to produce sparkling rosé wines. Austrian sparkling wines can be trocken (dry) and halbtrocken (half-dry).

Austrian Sparkling Wine Day was created to raise awareness of the quality and diversity of Austrian sparkling wines in gastronomy, trade and among consumers. On the occasion of the holiday, Austrian Sekt producers open their wineries to visitors and organize tastings, cellar tours, Sekt and food pairing classes, and other events to promote their sparkling wines. You can celebrate this amazing holiday by sharing a bottle of Austrian Sekt with your friends and spreading awareness of Austrian Sparkling Wine Day on social media.