What You Should Know about Kessler Sekt, the Oldest Sparkling Wine in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany

Somebody suggested that I check out an enchanting town called Esslingen am Neckar, which is 20–30 minutes from Stuttgart, Germany, where I was for work. I was told to visit because its views of the town from the vineyards are charming and because it is the home of the oldest German producer of sparkling wine, Kessler Sekt.

Sparkling wine? In a charming town? Sign me up, please!

I am a sucker for a good, dry, sparkling wine or champagne, especially on a budget!

History of Kessler Sekt 

Georg Christian Kessler founded Kessler Sekt in 1826 after working for the luxury French champagne producer Veuve Clicquot. Now, 200 years later, Kessler Sekt now produces around one million bottles a year, sold mainly in southern Germany. And Sadly, Kessler won’t ship outside of Germany, so I may or may not have brought back three bottles in my suitcase . . . and I would have gotten more if I had room! Note for next time, bring fewer things to Germany . . .

What I really enjoyed about my time here was that they really prided themselves on the quality of their wine. They still use traditional methods and bottle fermentation and never compromise or use substitutes to produce more wine. They are passionate to the point of having a medieval maturation cellar that you can tour (sadly, I didn’t). And someone has a job in which they shake certain bottles of sparkling wine? How cool to have a job like that!

Taste Testing 

I have done many tests before, but never specifically for sparkling wine. The gentleman working there saw I needed guidance on what to try, so he began to ask me questions such as what wine types I usually drink. I told him I only like dry wines; I really don’t like Riesling.

He smiled and told me he could tell that I was an American. I wondered how he knew besides my accent. He told me that, for whatever reason, Americans “mess” up Riesling because it’s supposed to be dry, not sweet. I had no idea that Riesling was supposed to be dry! If you are a brut or extra brut gal or guy, this place is for you since their sparkling wines are predominantly that!

I decided to trust him and take a Riesling class. After paying for my glass and making a small deposit (it would be returned once they got the glass back), I wandered over to this sexy black couch with black and white photos showcasing their history and took my first sip. I was honestly shocked at how good this was! It was dry! It went down smooth, kinda too smooth! Between the white flowers and the citrus fruits, I was seduced.

I texted my friends back in America about how much I loved this. I told them that it is actually dry because they, too, don’t like sweet wines. I thought it was the perfect drink for a warm spring or summer day, and I was right! The guy confirmed that when I decided to get another glass.

I decided to try their chardonnay next since that was the one I was initially going to try. You can taste the pear and apple with some floral notes. This would be the perfect wine for fall and winter. It had a heavier aroma due to some nuances of almond and anise, hence why this one was perfect for the fall and winter—it had the licorice taste.

Also, the guy gave me a little book that provided a whole history of Kessler. He was a great person, answering all my questions, especially when I found out Riesling was supposed to be dry.

Esslingen and Stuttgart locations

If you don’t have time to drive or take the train to Esslingen, they have a second location in Stuttgart. However, the location there is much smaller than the one in Esslingen. They have a couple of top tables inside, but an outdoor patio fills up quickly since there is not much room inside.

This was where I got three bottles of Riesling. I should have gotten more! The price point on the Riesling and the Chardonnay is good! I believe I paid 13 euros for a bottle. Most people there bought a few bottles and enjoyed their afternoon, which, if you are traveling solo, may not be the best idea, but traveling with friends or making friends while traveling is a pretty good idea!

I highly recommend exploring Esslingen and trying some sparkling wine! The town is so cute, and it’s the perfect place to explore solo in the afternoon!

And if you do go . . . bring me back another bottle!