Brut

Brut is a regulated sweetness category used on sparkling-wine labels. It indicates a dry style with no more than 12 grams of residual sugar per litre under the European Union labelling standard. Brut is common on Champagne, Cava, Crémant and many other sparkling wines. It is not the driest category; Brut Nature and Extra Brut contain less residual sugar.

Sparkling-wine sweetness categories

• Brut Nature / Zero Dosage: 0–3 g/L residual sugar, with no sugar added after the second fermentation under the applicable rules.
• Extra Brut: 0–6 g/L.
• Brut: up to 12 g/L.
• Extra Dry: 12–17 g/L; despite its name, it is sweeter than Brut.
• Sec: 17–32 g/L.
• Demi-Sec: 32–50 g/L.
• Doux: more than 50 g/L.

Exact wording and legal thresholds can vary by jurisdiction and product category; the ranges above reflect the common EU sparkling-wine categories.

Brut and dosage

Dosage is the final addition made after disgorgement, commonly a mixture of wine and sugar known as liqueur d’expédition. The amount added helps determine the final sweetness category. A Brut wine can still taste fruit-forward or rounded, but its residual sugar remains within the Brut limit.

Food pairing

Brut sparkling wine is versatile with oysters, shellfish, fried seafood, poultry, cheese and savoury appetizers. Its acidity and bubbles refresh the palate, making it useful with richer or fried dishes.

Example: serve Brut Champagne or Cava with oysters, fried calamari, gougères or roast chicken.

Chef’s note: Brut does not mean zero sugar. Extra Brut and Brut Nature are drier categories, while Extra Dry is actually sweeter than Brut.