sweetening

English · EU wine-law term

In EU wine rules, sweetening of wine is authorised only at the production and wholesale stages, and it is not regarded as coupage.1

In sparkling wine, sugar is added at two points: the tirage liqueur feeds the second fermentation, and the expedition liqueur is added after disgorgement.2,3 Coupage is a separate EU notion: mixing wines or musts of different origins, varieties, harvest years or categories.1 When the 85% share for a vintage is calculated, quantities used for sweetening, expedition liqueur or tirage liqueur are excluded.4 The final sugar level decides the label term; see the sugar scale.

See also

The sugar scale of sparkling wineDosageCoupageGlossaryLiqueur d'expéditionGlossaryDosage and liqueur d’expéditionMethods

Sources

  1. EUR-Lex. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/934 (oenological practices), Articles 7-8 and Annex I (2019-03-12)
  2. OIV International Code of Oenological Practices, II.4.1 Definitions common to all sparkling wines (II.4.1.1-II.4.1.10)
  3. Union des Maisons de Champagne. Dosage
  4. legislation.gov.uk (copy of EU OJ text). Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33, Article 49 (vintage year), original version as adopted (2018-10-17)

Facts checked on 2026-10-19