In 1832, Adam Henkell founded a wine merchant company. Soon after, he moved to France to establish himself as a wine expert. Henkell was one of the first in Germany to master the technique for producing sparkling wines and recognized the quality potential for a German sparkling wine. By 1856, Adam Henkell returned to his native Germany and set his sights on producing sparkling wine on German soil. Twenty five years after creating his wine merchant’s business, Henkell had a sparkling wine facility built. He chose the renowned town of Wiesbaden on the Rheingau. This region is famous for innovative wine production and high quality white wine. Now over 155 years later, Henkell has become synonymous with German sparkling wine, Sekt.

The tradition of excellence established by Adam Henkell in 1856 lives on today. Henkell Trocken is one of Germany’s most iconic sparkling wine brands. Moreover, with exports to over 70 countries, Henkell is now enjoyed around the world with over 13.5 million bottles of wine sold annually.

What makes Henkell so distinct is the perfect marriage of the Charmat method and the méthode Champenoise. Unlike most sparkling wines produced using the Charmat method, Henkell leaves the wine in charmat stainless steel tanks for six months for a slow natural fermentation. After six months the wine is bottled and then aged for a minimum of three additional months.

This unique method of producing high quality Sekt gives Henkell the rich complexity of champagne, with a fruit forward lightness that is distinctly German and most uniquely Henkell.

Henkell’s wine cellar and production facility are located in the town of Wiesbaden in Southwestern Germany. The city, often called the “Gateway to the Rhienghau”, sits on the northern bank of the Rhine River. The Rheingau is one of Germany’s 13 officially recognized regions for quality wine production (QbA) and extends along the banks of the Rhine River. Although it produces only a small percentage of Germany’s total fine wine output, the Rhiengau is known for exceptional quality in production.