Discover the complete range of Champagne types, from bone-dry Brut Nature to sweet Doux. This guide covers all 7 official sweetness levels plus key style categories like Blanc de Blancs, rosé, and prestige cuvées. Whether you prefer crisp and dry or rich and sweet, there’s one for every palate among these different types of Champagne.
Discover the Different Styles of Champagne
The most important criteria for Champagne is that it must be made according to the official Champagne method and come from the Champagne region of France. Champagne is classified by sweetness levels based on residual sugar content, measured in grams per liter.
Some vintage Champagnes such as Dom Pérignon are among the most expensive wines in the world. However, there are non-vintage Champagnes available for most budgets. While Champagne is perfect for a special occasion, it is increasingly popular for more casual dining.
Champagne Sweetness Levels (Driest to Sweetest)
1. Brut Nature/Zero Dosage Champagne
The driest style of Champagne, containing 0-3 grams of sugar per liter. Also known as Zero Dosage, this Champagne has no added sugar during the dosage process.
It showcases the purest expression of the grapes and terroir, with crisp acidity and mineral notes. Perfect for those who prefer bone-dry wines and pairs excellently with oysters, sushi, and light seafood dishes.
2. Extra Brut Champagne
Containing 0-6 grams of sugar per liter, Extra Brut is extremely dry with minimal sweetness. This style has gained popularity among health-conscious consumers and those seeking very dry wines.
The low sugar content means there’s nowhere to hide – only excellent quality grapes can produce outstanding Extra Brut Champagne. These wines are particularly popular in Japan, South Korea, and China.
3. Brut Champagne
The most popular type of Champagne is Brut, accounting for 78.5% of exports. Brut contains 0-12 grams of sugar per liter.
Brut non-millésimé (non-vintage) is the most frequent type of Champagne, generally blended from wines of different years and crus. A cru is a specific village or section of land, reflecting the French focus on terroir in wine-making.
4. Extra Dry/Extra Sec Champagne
Despite its name suggesting extreme dryness, Extra Dry actually contains 12-17 grams of sugar per liter, making it slightly sweeter than Brut. This medium-dry style offers a balance of dryness with a hint of sweetness.
It works well with spicy dishes, grilled meats, and shellfish, providing a versatile option for food pairing.
5. Sec Champagne
Containing 17-32 grams of sugar per liter, Sec (meaning “dry” in French) is actually semi-sweet. This style offers noticeable sweetness while maintaining refreshing acidity. Sec Champagne pairs well with moderately sweet dishes and can serve as a bridge between dry and sweet styles for those transitioning their palate.
6. Demi-Sec Champagne
Containing 32-50 grams of sugar per liter, Demi-Sec is a sweet Champagne that works particularly well with desserts. This medium-sweet sparkling wine, meaning “half-dry,” offers a good compromise between reduced sugar content and flavor for those who enjoy sweeter wines.
7. Doux Champagne
The sweetest style of Champagne, containing more than 50 grams of sugar per liter. Doux Champagne is rich and luscious, perfect for pairing with desserts or enjoying on its own as a dessert wine.
This style was historically popular with Russian aristocracy and remains the ultimate sweet Champagne experience.
Champagne Style Categories
8. Rosé Champagne
Increasingly popular, rosé Champagne can be made either by adding a small amount of still red Champagne wine to white wine, or by macerating red grapes in their skins before fermentation. Rosé Champagne has a delicate pink color and intense fruity flavor with notes of berries.
It can be vintage or non-vintage and is particularly popular in the United States, Austria, Russia, and Nigeria.
9. Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Translating as white from white grapes, Blanc de Blancs Champagnes are made exclusively from white grapes, typically Chardonnay. These wines offer a light, fresh flavor with elegant minerality.
The grapes used are primarily from the Côte des Blancs and Côte de Sézanne regions.
10. Blanc de Noirs Champagne
Made exclusively from red grapes (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier), Blanc de Noirs Champagnes are quite a rare find. You might expect them to be red in color, yet these Champagnes are white.
The red grapes are lightly pressed so the pigment isn’t extracted from the skins. These Champagnes tend to have a dense, rich flavor.
11. Prestige Cuvée/Tête de Cuvée
The flagship Champagne of each house, representing the ultimate in luxury and quality. Prestige cuvées are made from the finest grapes from Grand Cru vineyards, aged longer (typically 5-8 years), and produced in limited quantities.
Famous examples include Dom Pérignon (Moët & Chandon), Cristal (Louis Roederer), and La Grande Dame (Veuve Clicquot). These wines command premium prices and are considered the pinnacle of Champagne craftsmanship.
Non-Vintage and Vintage Champagne
Champagne wine may be vintage or non-vintage. Vintage Champagnes must be aged in the bottle for at least 3 years, while non-vintage Champagne must be aged for 15 months or more.
Champagne Millesime refers to vintage Champagne produced from a specific harvest year.
What is the Méthode Champenoise?
The traditional method of making Champagne involves adding sugar and yeast to wine for secondary fermentation in the bottle. This creates carbon dioxide and lees (dead yeast cells), which are later removed and replaced with a solution of wine and sugar.
This time-consuming process can take from 7 months to several years.
In contrast, sparkling wine such as Prosecco or pink Prosecco is made using the Charmat method in pressurized tanks. No secondary fermentation takes place.
Champagne Grape Varieties
True Champagne can only be made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Arbane, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Pinot Meunier grapes.
Types of Champagne Producers
There are 3 main varieties of Champagne producers:
- Maisons – large Champagne houses such as Dom Perignon, Pommery, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot and Bollinger. According to the Comité de Champagne, the industry’s governing body, there are 360 Champagne maisons.
- Cooperatives – villages who cooperate with multiple growers in the same geographical area. Nicolas Feuillatte is the largest cooperative in the Champagne region. There are 140 cooperatives in all.
- Vignerons – independent owners of wine parcels or vineyards, of which there are around 16,100. Some of them simply sell their grapes to the Champagne houses and coopératives, while others are grower-producers. On Champagne labels made by vignerons, you will see the letters RM which stands for récoltant-manipulant.
Where is Champagne Made?
Located in the North East of France, this famous wine-making area of 34,000 hectares is known for its chalky soil and temperate climate.
In 2015, the “Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars” were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. This recognizes the unique cultural landscape of the five French Champagne départements of Aisne, Aube, Haute-Marne, Marne and Seine-et-Marne.
Champagne Accessories
Serve your Champagne in style with these beautiful stainless steel gold colored Champagne flutes. These unbreakable, BPA free Champagne glasses won’t rust or tarnish and don’t have a metallic taste.
This stainless steel Champagne cooler by iconic Danish brand Georg Jensen has a unique contemporary design. Easily storing 3 bottles, this statement cooler also has room for ice.
To open your Champagne in style, you can’t beat a Champagne sabre. This stylish accessory makes a great gift for wine lovers. Handcrafted in Maniago, Italy, it has a decorative bead tassel on the sabre handle.
Final Thoughts on The Different Types of Champagne
With 11 distinct types covering the complete spectrum from bone-dry to sweet, plus style variations, there’s a Champagne for every palate and occasion. Start with your preferred sweetness level, then explore different styles to discover your favorites.
Which of these types of Champagne have you tried and which is your favorite?
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