Sparkling Wine Sugar Levels
Despite the fact that the liqueur de tirage is a dose of sugar and yeast, sweet sparkling wines do not get their residual sugar from this addition. The liqueur de tirage also includes an amount of yeast and needs to be disgorged for clarity.
Adjusting Sparkling Wine Sugar Levels
Instead, the sugar is added right after disgorgement and before the cork is inserted. Sparkling wines are labeled based their sweetness. I have seen some variation, but in general the following terms are matched up to percentage of residual sugar in the wine.
- Extra Brut: 0%-.5%
- Brut: .5%-1.5%
- Extra Dry: 1.2%-2%
- Sec: 1.7%-3.5%
- Demi-Sec: 3.5%-5%
- Doux: over 5%
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