How Dosage Works
After disgorgement removes the yeast sediment from the bottle, a small volume of wine is lost. The dosage — a mixture of reserve wine and cane sugar — refills this space and fine-tunes the wine's balance. The amount of sugar added per litre determines the sweetness category on the label. Some producers use older reserve wines, grape must, or even honey for their dosage, each contributing different nuances.
Sweetness Levels
| Category | Sugar (g/L) | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Brut Nature / Zero Dosage | 0-3 | Bone-dry, pure, uncompromising acidity |
| Extra Brut | 0-6 | Very dry, minimal sweetness |
| Brut | 0-12 | The benchmark category; dry with balanced freshness |
| Extra Dry (Extra Sec) | 12-17 | Off-dry, perceptible softness |
| Sec | 17-32 | Medium-dry, noticeable sweetness |
| Demi-Sec | 32-50 | Sweet, often paired with desserts |
| Doux | 50+ | Fully sweet, rare today |
The Zero Dosage Movement
A growing trend among prestige Champagne houses and grower-producers favours zero dosage (also labelled Brut Nature, Non Dosé, or Pas Dosé). Without sugar to buffer acidity, these wines demand perfectly ripe grapes and impeccable base wine quality. The result is a sparkling wine of laser-like precision that showcases terroir and vintage character with maximum transparency.