halbtrocken

German · half-dry

Halbtrocken is the German term that EU law lists as the equivalent of demi-sec for sparkling wine: 32 to 50 g/L of sugar.1

The German scale

German labels use their own words for the same EU bands: naturherb for brut nature, extra herb for extra brut, herb for brut, extra trocken for extra dry and trocken for sec.1 For wine above 50 g/L the EU list of equivalents includes mild.1

These terms appear on Sekt and other Schaumwein. See Germany and the sugar scale.

Where the sugar comes from

After disgorgement the wine receives the liqueur d'expédition, cane sugar dissolved in wine; UMC gives 0 to 5-6 cl per bottle.2,3 Its amount decides which sweetness term the label may carry.

See also

demi-secGlossaryherbGlossarynaturherbGlossarySektGlossaryGermanyRegionsThe sugar scale of sparkling wineDosage

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. Union des Maisons de Champagne. Dosage
  3. Comité Champagne (champagne.education). Fiche Élaboration du Champagne (FR) (2024-05)

Facts checked on 2026-10-19