Beyond Walla Walla: Nigl Sekt Rosé

This is my first of many wine tasting and blogging beyond Walla Walla. "Change is good," I keep telling myself as hard as it can be at times. Tasting wines beyond Walla Walla can be, not only an advanced education for the palate, but even send us back home to the wines around us while understanding that the familiar can indeed be a benchmark. 

In my opinion I would be hard pressed to find a benchmark sekt, as this is the benchmark.  First of all for those who may be unfamiliar with the term, "sekt" (pronounced "zekt") we are referring to a bubbly - a German term for quality bubbly produced in either Germany or Austria.  In Austria, Sekt is often made in the méthode champenoise and like in Austria,  it is good to know that in Germany the inexpensive sparkling wine made with CO2 injection must not be named Sekt. 

Sekt is often produced using the native grapes of Germany and Austria, such as riesling, gruner veltliner, blaufrankisch (lemberger), zweigelt, and even pinot gris and pinot noir. Like its German counterpart, Austrian Sekt can be produced and referred to as trocken (dry) or halbtrocken (medium dry). 

I was hooked with one sip of the Nigl Sekt Rosé. This bubbly is produced with Zweigelt, a widely-grown red grape variety in Austria.  The winery, owned by Martin Nigl, is located in the town of Senftenberg in lower Austria's wine growing region of Kremstal. The cool climate of the Kremstal river valley assists the grapes maintain their acidity, which is essential to making a fine sparkler.  If you are a long time reader, you may know that there are wines that I will often refer to as "swoon-worthy" and this wine, indeed is one of them.  (note: Nigl also produces a still rosé I have not tasted - - yet.)

There is such a crisp and coolness with a sip to the palate.  Strawberies! Rhubarb! Cherries! The red summer fruit pops from the glass. It is just such a pretty wine and so elegant. The bubbles makes it crisp, refreshing and almost palate cleansing as it cools the palate and the zweigelt adds its zest of spice to the finish. Pair Nigl Sekt Rosé with oysters, baked or raw. Cheese, chocolate, fruit or my favorite way - - pair it alone with a glass ... Prost!