Best Sweet Champagne

Everything You Wanted to Know About Sweet Champagnes

It would not be an exaggeration to say that sweet champagne dominated for centuries. The considerably drier, the harsh brut-style variety was produced exclusively for selling in the English market in the initial days; though such champagne has since achieved a particular, throat-ripping hegemony!

Essentially, when it comes to champagne, dosage refers to how much sweetness (wine and sugar or only sugar) is added to the alcohol for balancing it out. It is found that grapes sourced from the Champagne region have had to struggle a little to ripen, eventually ending up with significantly less volume of sugar for offering the wine, and leaving many Champagnes and sparklings aggressively acidic. Hence, the dosage is necessarily a simple corrective procedure to either offset too-powerful acid or to precisely impart some amount of sweetness. Now, depending on the dosage added, a number of sparklings can be produced, defined by the terms that are seemingly confusing at the very first glance but are practically a scale that is meant to be interpreted from sweetest to driest.

Doux

Fifty grams (or even more) of sugar is added per liter, and it will taste preposterously sweet for most sparkling wine and Champagne palates. It is as much as about one tablespoon, but going by the history, Champagne used to contain a lot of sugar, and people even added sugar at dinner time to their wine!

Demi-Sec

Thirty-two to fifty grams of sugar is mixed, and just like the Doux, it is also considered to be a notch higher on the sweet spectrum of sparklings that most people are desirous to go. Nonetheless, this variety did make a sort of comeback in 2012.

Sec

It means dry in French, though dry here practically refers to a medium or semi-sweet sparkling. Seventeen to thirty grams, i.e., half a tablespoon is added for every liter.

Extra Sec

It literally means extra dry, something that apparently indicates a lip-smacking, delicious acidic wine. In reality, it tastes a tad less sweet than the original sec, which can be attributed to a meager amount of twelve to seventeen grams of sugar.

Brut

Up to twelve grams of sugar per liter is added; and thus, somewhat rounder and softer than the extra brut, due to this additional amount of sweetness. This type of sparkling or Champagne people tends to consume most.

Extra Brut

As less than six grams of sugar is added, it is characteristically extra-acidic and does accentuate the process of carbonation.

Brut Nature

Zero or less than three grams of sugar is added for every liter. Now, it is unapologetically atypical and blatantly an idiosyncratic way for the wine producer to demonstrate the fundamental attribute of the Champagne or sparkling wine, and hence the name. Higher notes of acid and minerality, a party in the palate, and everyone is invited; except sugar!

Benefits

  • Low in calories
  • Improves brain functions
  • Reduces blood pressure
  • Improves mood
  • Provides anti-oxidants
  • Improves the functioning of short-term memory
  • Prevents blood clots

Best Brands

Champagne A. Margaine Demi-Sec

Champagne A. Margaine uses its brut as a base and then sweetens it at the time of dosage for producing the demi-sec with lots of love and tender care. This champagne is composed of 8% Pinot Noir and 92% Chardonnay; and offers a velvety mouthfeel with a range of flavors like hazelnut, plum, and peach.

  • Origin: France
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
  • MSRP: $33/375 ml.
  • Proof: 24
  • Manufacturer: Champagne A. Margaine

Champagne Ayala Rich Majeur

Champagne Ayala was founded over one hundred and fifty years ago; and since then; this family-owned, independent house has been devoted to perfection and excellence. This champagne offers flavors of custard, lemon, and apple with a faint note of marzipan and comes with a relatively high dosage of sugar for balancing out its natural acidity.

  • Origin: France
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
  • MSRP: $33/750 ml.
  • Proof: 24
  • Manufacturer: Champagne Ayala

Champagne Collet Demi-Sec

Champagne Collet is essentially a grower winery as its wines are produced from own estate grapes, rather than cultivations from other vineyards.  This champagne is composed of 20% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 50% Pinot Meunier. It comes with earthy aromas of fig and date, and sports subtle flavors of fruits accompanied by mineral and floral notes in the palate.

  • Origin: France
  • Varietal: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir
  • MSRP: $46/750 ml.
  • Proof: 24
  • Manufacturer: Champagne Collet

Champagne Lanson Ivory Label

Champagne Lanson sells its bubbly with great pride, because the buyer is none other than the British monarchy, and the royal coat of arms is prominently featured on the bottles. The Ivory Label offers flavors of ripe fruits accompanied by a hint of baking spice; unmistakably full-bodied; produces a creamy mouthfeel and is composed of 15% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, and 50% Pinot  Noir.

  • Origin: France
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
  • MSRP: $43/750 ml.
  • Proof: 25
  • Manufacturer: Champagne Lanson

Champagne Laurent-Perrier Demi-Sec

 Champagne Laurent-Perrier was founded in 1812 and barely survived the Second World War.  Bernard de Nonancourt rejuvenated the ailing brand after WWII and crafted the signature elegant, light, and fresh style of Laurent-Perrier. This champagne comes with honeyed aromas and also offers candy-like flavors of fruit accompanied by a clear finish of hazelnut and almond notes.

  • Origin: France
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
  • MSRP: $40/750 ml.
  • Proof: 25
  • Manufacturer: Champagne Laurent-Perrier

Champagne Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial

Champagne Moët & Chandon is duly credited with the honor of making the first ever sparkling wine which should be served on nothing else but ice. This bubbly exhibits a golden color, which is distinctly deep, and comes with aromas of raspberry, nectarine, and mango. The palate offers richer caramel notes and a refreshing acidity that is accompanied by lively fruit flavors.

  • Origin: France
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
  • MSRP: $59/750 ml.
  • Proof: 24
  • Manufacturer: Champagne Moët & Chandon