Champagne Brut Nature!

Nowadays, we often hear about 'not dosed' or 'Brut Nature' Champagne.

What does it mean?

DEFINITION

Champagne Brut Nature is a Champagne with no added sugar and less than 3g/litre of residual sugar.

It owes its name to the fact that the only sugar present is the sugar naturally contained in the grapes.

CHAMPAGNE: A RATHER COMPLEX WINE TO MAKE

We start by making a 'normal' white wine, without bubbles, which then ages in vats or barrels (usually until April or June).

The wine is then bottled, adding a 'tirage' liqueur (with yeast and sugar) to have a new fermentation in the bottle. The wine then becomes effervescent. It can then be left to age for a short period (15 months minimum according to the requirements of the appellation, 24/36 months minimum for the Cuvées Fier Ce Fît) or for a very long time (several years for the Cuvées of a great vintage).

At the end of the ageing period, the wine is disgorged (the deposits that have formed are removed). During this operation, a small quantity of wine is lost and has to be replaced by an equivalent volume of the same wine or by what is called a "liqueur d'expédition". This liqueur is a combination of reserve wines (wines from previous vintages) and sugar.

The addition of this liqueur, to freshly disgorged Champagne, is called dosage.

THE TYPE OF CHAMPAGNE

The amount of residual sugar in the bottled wine (natural sugars from the grapes + any sugars added by the dosage) will determine the type of Champagne:

• brut nature: no added sugars and less than 3g/litre of residual sugar
• extra-brut: between 0 and 6g/litre of residual sugar
• brut: between 7 and 12g/litre of residual sugar
• extra-dry: between 12 and 17g/litre of residual sugar
• dry: between 17 and 32g/litre of residual sugar
• sweet: more than 50g/litre of residual sugar

LESS AND LESS DOSAGE

For years, dosage has become less and less important in Champagne. From the very sweet Champagne served at tea time in the 19th century, to which some even added a sugar cube to add even more flavour but also to create new bubbles, we have moved on to Champagne Brut, often dosed at less than 8g per litre, and to the creation of many Cuvées Nature.

This evolution in dosage reflects differentr consumer tastes, but also symbolises the great progress made in Champagne winemaking.

It is obvious that Champagnes with little or no dosage, in order to be acceptable to the average consumer, must be made from beautiful and sufficiently ripe grapes. Otherwise the acidity may appear too pungent.

A winemaker worthy of the name does not wake up one morning and decides that one of his Cuvées will be a Brut Nature!

A Brut Nature is made before the harvest, not after...

As winemaking techniques have evolved and winegrowers' working methods have changed, the harvests are increasingly supervised. A well-thought-out and patient harvest offers, for certain plots, the possibility of producing Champagnes with little or no dosage.

BRUT NATURE

The absence of dosage allows the intrinsic qualities of the wine and its terroir to be better highlighted. The minerality, partially masked by the dosage, is also better perceived. The complexity (richness of aromas) of the wines is greater.

A Champagne Nature will be appreciated for the finesse and purity of its aromas.

If there is a clear preference for Champagnes Nature, it is nevertheless advisable to start the tasting these Cuvées with caution, as they can initially disorientate an unaccustomed palate. Preferably, a Cuvée Nature must be explained before tasting.

And now that you know everything, go check to our Boutique to choose your Cuvée and taste it following our advice!

Cin cin et à votre santé!