Sparkling wine

The tradition of classic sparkling wine production has begun in Bzenec.

The foresight of Franz Schwarzmann, the administrator and later managing director, was significantly shown on the Bzenec estate. In 1876 Schwarzmann began with making sparkling wine and that wine won a world reputation before long. In 1881 that sparkling wine was awarded a gold medal in Toulouse and in 1890 in Brussels; in Paris it was a certificate of merit and a gold medal later. In Vienna Bzenec sparkling wine won a certificate of merit in 1894 and the first prize and a national certificate of merit in 1898.

It is the year 1876 what our “Sekt 1876” is dedicated to. This sparkling wine proudly follows the tradition of the beginnings of making first sparkling wines in Bohemia. Unique coupage, which means mixing more varieties of wines, is the basic thing in which we differ from our competition. And also the traditional method of ripening sparkling wines in bottles for at least 36 months and the subsequent manual shaking of sludge used during our sparkling wine production.

Our collaboration with a French enologist on coupage is also worth mentioning. Our company produces approximately 15 thousands of brut sparkling wine bottles every year. It is important to know that good sparkling wine is made by secondary fermentation in a bottle (classic sparkling wine production) and the coupage of more varieties can be used as a basis. Also the duration of storing in the bottle (sludge) is important; at least 2 to 3 years is the best. The sparkling wine is then slightly sparkling and its structure of taste and smell is harmonic.

To savour sparkling wine properly, avoiding some mistakes is important. The basis is a properly chilled bottle (3 to 5 degrees Celsius), laying at rest in the refrigerator. It must not be put in the freezer compartment to avoid a shock to the wine. Another mistake is that many people turn the cork after removing the muselet. Instead of that you must grasp firmly the cork and turn the bottle. Then pour the wine into a glass tilted at an angle of 45 degrees, grazing the side of the inner glass. Less fizz is thus created. Then the right moment to enjoy greatly your glass of wine comes. And not only at the end of the year.

Important prizes awarded to vintage 2013 Sekt 1876:

• Prague Wine Trophy 2018 – Prague Gold
• Wine King 2019 – Sparkling and semi-sparkling – Silver medal
• Prague Wine Trophy 2019 – Prague Gold