Brut vs Extra Brut

Under 12 g/L vs 0-6 g/L

Extra brut is the drier term: it means 0-6 g/L of sugar, while brut means less than 12 g/L.1 The ranges overlap, so a wine with up to 6 g/L could carry either term, and the producer chooses one.2

Side by side

BrutExtra brut
SugarLess than 12 g/L10-6 g/L1
In a 125 mL glassLess than 1.5 g0-0.75 g
OverlapIncludes the extra brut and brut nature ranges2Includes the brut nature range (under 3 g/L)2
Next term upExtra dry, 12-17 g/L1Brut, under 12 g/L1
Label tolerance3 g/L23 g/L2
German termHerb1Extra herb1
MethodAny: the terms apply to all sparkling wine2Any2
Cava Gran ReservaAllowed3Allowed3
Franciacorta SatènAllowed, the only term4Not allowed4
Prosecco DOC RoséAllowed5Allowed5

The grams per glass are our arithmetic: grams per litre multiplied by 0.125.

Where the sugar comes from

After disgorgement a small amount of liqueur is added to the bottle; its sugar sets the final sweetness.6,7 The EU terms are defined by the result, the sugar content in g/L.1 See dosage and liqueur d'expédition.

The overlap

EU ranges overlap at the dry end. A wine with 2 g/L fits brut nature, extra brut and brut; a wine with 5 g/L fits extra brut and brut. When the sugar content allows two terms, only one may be used.2 The real sugar may also differ from the term by up to 3 g/L.2 So a bottle labelled brut is not always sweeter than one labelled extra brut.

Extra brut and brut nature

Extra brut is not the same as brut nature. Brut nature means less than 3 g/L and is reserved for wine with no sugar added after the second fermentation; extra brut has no such condition, only the 0-6 g/L range.1 See brut nature.

Full scale

Brut and extra brut are two of seven EU terms, from brut nature to doux (over 50 g/L).2 The whole scale is on the sugar scale.

Questions and answers

Is extra brut drier than brut?

By definition yes: extra brut allows 0-6 g/L, brut less than 12 g/L.1 Because the ranges overlap, a given brut can still hold less sugar than a given extra brut.2

Is extra brut the same as brut nature?

No. Brut nature means under 3 g/L with no sugar added after the second fermentation; extra brut means 0-6 g/L.1

How much sugar is in a glass of brut?

Less than 1.5 g in a 125 mL glass, since brut is under 12 g/L.1 Extra brut gives at most 0.75 g.

Can the label differ from the real sugar?

Yes, by no more than 3 g/L.2

See also

The sugar scale of sparkling wineDosagebrutGlossaryextra brutGlossaryBrut nature (zero dosage)StylesDosage and liqueur d’expéditionMethodsLabel terms in EU lawMethods

Sources

  1. legislation.gov.uk (copy of EU OJ text). Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33, Annex III Part A (sugar-content terms for sparkling wines), original version as adopted (2018-10-17)
  2. EUR-Lex. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (consolidated text), Articles 47, 48, 49, 53, 54 and Annex III Part A (2023-12-08)
  3. Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (MAPA). Pliego de condiciones DOP Cava
  4. AIS (reproduction of MASAF disciplinare). Disciplinare di produzione DOCG Franciacorta (last mod. DM 07.05.2024, GU 114 17.05.2024) (2024-05-07)
  5. AIS (reproduction of MASAF disciplinare). Disciplinare di produzione DOC Prosecco (consolidated text, last mod. DM 19.06.2023, GURI n.148 27.06.2023) (2023-06-19)
  6. OIV International Code of Oenological Practices, II.4.1 Definitions common to all sparkling wines (II.4.1.1-II.4.1.10)
  7. Union des Maisons de Champagne. Dosage

Facts checked on 2026-10-20