The story of Naumburger Wein & Sekt Manufaktur is one of coincidences that make up a juicy and fascinating story.

After the fall of the wall in former East Germany suddenly anything was possible. Like many others, Andreas Kirsch had a tiny small piece of land, where he and a friend, Hartmut Duchrow, made wine. While walking along the Saale, near the hamlet Henne, Andreas found a magnificent sandstone building, from the 19th century, he really wanted rebuild. His plan was to make a place where you can eat and sleep. Studies of the history of the building, brought all sorts of fascinating facts at the surface. The building in the communist era was a fruit processing factory, and turned out to have cellars with miles of tunnels. These tunnels were partly medieval: 800 years old, dug by the monks of a nearby monastery. They left their wines to mature! In the 21st century this would be an excellent place to mature.... sparkling wines. To finish the story ancient documents showed the building was a “Champagne factory’ from 1834. W.F. Börger & Sohn, the owner from these days, seemed to be the oldest producer of sparkling wine in Germany. The choice was made quickly and Naumburger Wein & Sekt Manufaktur was born.

Various varieties
During a tour of the current company, this tale was brought with great flair by the wife of Kirsch. She tells us that the 20 hectares of vineyards includes, 7 hectares for the production of Sekt. Red and white varieties are: Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus, Kerner, Weissburgunder, Riesling, Silvaner, Dornfelder, Portugieser regent, Blauer Zweigelt, Pinot Noir and various others. The company employs 15 people, working with a faculty of agriculture and has a very modern wine cellar.

The 19th-century sandstone building has been completely refurbished and boasts some beautiful rooms, reception areas and a shop where the wines of the company are for sale. In the garden, on the banks of the river Saale, under the old oak, you have an excellent place with a cool glass of sparkling wine and a lunch or snack.

Book the Weinproben!
If you go there and book a tour 'Weinproben', you get to hear the history and interesting facts about the production of Sekt. Several wines are tasted, and once arrived in the Sekt cellar there is a chance you may open the bottle with a sable!

All Sects are turned by hand (r�tteln in the French remuage) – that is why they use the word Manufaktur! The ordinary cuvées lie twice as long as the legal obligation of nine months to mature the wines, but there are also wines such as pinot noir Blanc de Noir, that lie more than five years.

This story comes from www.wijnkronieken.nlv