No two wines are the same. Some are quite dry, some are quite sweet, and they all have their own flavor profiles that you have to take into account when drinking them or using them in cooking.
But did you know that there is a whole scale used when it comes to sparkling wine and its sweetness levels?
Finding the right sparkling wine for your tastes is a challenge all on its own, but when you understand the words used for the sweetness level, it will make finding the perfect sparkling wine much easier.
We are going to take you through Extra Brut all the way to Doux, so you can find the perfect level for your tastes. So read on to find out more about them!
Sparkling Wine Sweetness Levels
Wine producers use different words to describe how sweet any given sparkling wine is. The scale goes from less sweet, starting with Extra Brut, all the way to More Sweet, ending with Doux.
There are 6 different kinds of sparkling wine sweetness levels, and you can find the names of each of them below.
- Extra Brut
- Brut
- Extra Sec
- Sec
- Demi-Sec
- Doux
Each of these sweetness levels is different, and they all have their own characteristics and features you should be aware of before you purchase your sparkling wine.
But don’t worry, we are going to go into more detail about each of them, from Extra Brut all the way to Doux!
Extra Brut
Extra Brut is the least sweet option on the sweetness level scale. In order for a sparkling wine to qualify for Extra Brut, it has to have no more than 0-6 grams of sugar per liter.
These types of sparkling wines are extremely high in acidity and they are almost always very dry.
Sometimes on the label, you will see the phrases “Brut Nature or Natur Herb”, and this means that the sparkling wine only has 0-3 grams of sugar per liter. This is quite a rare occurrence, however.
Brut
Next on the sweetness levels, we have Brut. Brut is a bit sweeter than Extra Brut, but it’s hardly noticeable. For a sparkling wine to qualify for the Brut level it must have less than 12 grams of sugar per liter.
Almost all countries use the term Brut on their labels, but it isn’t uncommon to see the terms Herb or even Bruto instead.
To give you a better idea of the sweetness levels, Brut is usually what Champenge falls under. Almost all Champenge is classified as Brut in sweetness.
Extra Sec
Extra Sec is next on the list. It is much sweeter than Extra Brut, but nowhere near as sweet as Doux. For a sparkling wine to qualify for the Extra Sec sweetness level, it must contain no more than 12-17 grams of sugar per liter.
It is at this level that you start to notice the sweetness, so it’s perfect for people who don’t like dry and bitter sparkling wine but don’t want anything too sweet.
It is not uncommon for Extra Sec to also be labeled as Extra Dry, Extra Seco, and Extra Trocken.
Sec
Though “Sec” actually means dry, this level of sparkling wine is actually quite sweet. It’s much more noticeable than Extra Sec sparkling wine, but still not quite on the level of Doux.
In order for a sparkling wine to qualify as Sec, it must contain no more than 17-32 grams of sugar.
It won’t be sickly sweet in flavor, but it will be a lot more pleasant with next to no bitterness. It’s perfect for people who don’t much care about Extra Brut-style sparkling wines and like their drinks to have a pleasant sweetness.
Demi-Sec
Demi-Sec is the second sweetest kind of sparkling wine that you can find. All sparkling wines at this level have a very noticeable sweetness, but they are still well-balanced.
In order for a sparkling wine to qualify as Demi-Sec, it can contain no more than 32-50 grams of sugar per liter. Usually, Demi-Sec sparkling wines are a lot fruitier than the levels below it, and people often get this confused with the sweetness.
Though Demi-Sec is the most well-used term for this level, other names that mean the same thing include Halbtrocken, Abbocato, Amabile, Medium Dry, and Semiseco.
Doux
Finally, we have Doux, which is the sweetest kind of sparkling wine that you can get. This is an extremely sweet kind of sparkling wine that is usually used as a dessert wine.
In order for a sparkling wine to qualify as Doux, it must have more than 50 grams of sugar per liter. These types of sparkling wines may be too sweet for people who prefer dry and more acidic wines.
Doux is the most common phrase used to describe this kind of wine, but it’s not uncommon to come across different phrasing, some of which include Mild, Sweet, and Dolce.
If you find other types of sparkling wine too bitter or acidic, you may enjoy a good Doux.
Conclusion
All sparkling wine falls somewhere between Extra Brut and Doux on the sparkling wine sweetness level scale. If you prefer dry and bitter wines, go more towards Extra Brut.
If you like your wine sweet and fruity, go more towards Doux.
In order to find a taste that suits you, you will have to try many different kinds of sparkling wines, so pay attention to their sweetness levels!
I can offer you articles and information about wine from a seasoned sommelier, and now a winemaker too! I hope that you enjoy some of our articles, and start thinking outside of the box when it comes to wine.
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