🍷 Brut nature

Brut nature is the driest sugar-content term for sparkling wine. In Annex III, Part A of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 it means a sugar content below 3 grams per litre, with no sugar added after the second fermentation.

The regulation lists equivalent terms in other languages: brut nature, naturherb, bruto natural, pas dosé, dosage zéro, dosaggio zero and brut natur, among others.

The next categories in the same annex are extra brut (0 to 6 g/l), brut (under 12 g/l), extra dry (12 to 17 g/l), dry or sec (17 to 32 g/l), medium dry or demi-sec (32 to 50 g/l) and sweet or doux (over 50 g/l).

Under Article 47 the sugar term must appear on the label of sparkling wine: for the driest level, “brut nature” or an equivalent such as “pas dosé”. Only one of two possible terms may be chosen, and the sugar content may not differ by more than 3 g/l from what the label states.

The Comité Champagne explains that the sweetness of Champagne depends on the dosage, the mix of wine and sugar added at the final stage, and that about 90% of Champagnes are brut. Its label guide lists the levels from extra brut (0 to 6 g/l) to doux (over 50 g/l).