How Much Sugar Is in Your Bubbles?

What do Brut, Extra Dry, and Doux really mean?

Jun 20, 2025

Summer is here, and that craving for a chilled glass of bubbly hits hard. But wait a sec... have you ever asked yourself how much sugar is actually in that sparkling wine you're sipping?

Don’t worry, this isn’t a guilt trip, it’s just some juicy info so you can drink smart (and still have fun).

The Basics: Sparkling wine gets its bubbles from a second fermentation, either in the bottle (like Champagne) or in a tank (like Prosecco). Right at the end of this process, winemakers add a little something called the dosage (or "liqueur d'expédition"). And that, my friends, is where the sugar comes in.

🍬 But here's the kicker: The amount of sugar in the dosage determines the style of the wine, dry, off-dry, sweet, but it has nothing to do with quality. There are sweet sparkling wines out there that cost more than your rent. Respect.

Sugar Levels in Sparkling Wine:

Brut Nature / Brut Zéro: 0–3 g/L (bone dry, razor-sharp)
Extra Brut: up to 6 g/L (crisp but slightly rounder)
Brut: up to 12 g/L (the crowd-pleaser; balanced AF)
Extra Dry: 12–17 g/L (surprise! sweeter than Brut)
Dry / Sec: 17–32 g/L (starting to feel the sugar)
Demi-Sec: 32–50 g/L (dessert mode)
Doux / Sweet: 50+ g/L (we’re talking sweet-sweet)
Reinecker

Famous Bubbles & Their Grapes:

Champagne (France): Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier. Traditional method = fermentation in bottle = elegance & toastiness.
Prosecco (Italy): Glera. Charmat method = fermentation in tank = fruity, fresh, fun.
Cava (Spain): Macabeo, Xarel·lo, Parellada. Traditional method = fresh + layered.

💡 Fun fact: Not all bubbles are Champagne. That name is protected and strictly for wines from the Champagne region in France, made under strict rules. Everything else? Just sparkling, baby.