demi-sec

French · half-dry

Demi-sec is the EU sweetness term for sparkling wine with a sugar content between 32 and 50 g/L.1

Equivalents

The EU lists halbtrocken, abboccato, medium dry, semi seco and meio seco as the same category in other languages.1 The OIV uses the same band of 32-50 g/L.2

Neighbours on the scale

Below demi-sec is sec (17-32 g/L); above it is doux (over 50 g/L).1 Wines in this range are described on sweet sparkling wine. The sugar comes mainly from the liqueur d'expédition added after disgorgement.3

The measured sugar may differ from the labelled term by no more than 3 g/L (sugar tolerance).4

See also

The sugar scale of sparkling wineDosageSweet sparkling: demi-sec and douxStylessecGlossarydouxGlossaryhalbtrockenGlossarysemi secoGlossary

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. OIV International Code of Oenological Practices, I.4.4 Sparkling wines
  3. Union des Maisons de Champagne. Dosage
  4. EUR-Lex. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (consolidated text), Articles 47, 48, 49, 53, 54 and Annex III Part A (2023-12-08)

Facts checked on 2026-10-19