First of all before I totally confuse your brain, you can live in Champagne and Drink Champagne but you can not stop at a winery in California and drink their Champagne despite what the labels might say. Champagne is a region in France not a wine with bubbles. Even if the bubbly comes from France but a different region other than Champagne…we refer to that as French “Sparkling Wine” Are we good?? Now that this issue is settled it’s time to clarify many years of confusion:
If a label of any BUBBLY says EXTRA DRY It is Slightly LESS DRY than BRUT
DRY would actually be Sweeter than EXTRA DRY and DEMI-SEC Would Be Sweeter than DRY DOUX (DO) I make Sense?? Oh, speaking of DOUX that is really really Sweet!! So let me just simplify this without getting all technical. In Champagne, France when Champagne was first being developed they were really SWEET or DOUX (DO) Each time they removed a little Sugar, that became DEMI-SEC or Semi Sweet, Less Sugar DRY, Less Sugar Extra Dry and barely any sugar BRUT. So in plain French or English for this purpose…they went from Really Sweet and worked backwards to BRUT being Dry… Let’s not even mention totally no sugar in EXTRA BRUT or BRUT NATURE. How about a simple reference chart so you can see it explained and hopefully it will make sense? Here you go:
On the right side it even has other languages like Italian and German for their bubbly so you get the idea. Here are two examples of True Champagne that I love to recommend to guests and my followers that you can find at ABC Fine Wines and Spirits or order online at http://www.abcfws.com.
MOUTARD DEMI-SEC… SWEET… 100% Pinot Noir used. Use the Chart to remember that Demi-Sec is not sugary sweet but Semi Sweet .
HATON BRUT CLASSIC— Brut=Dry. Great value from Champagne from a Champagne House founded in 1928.
Now that you have the “DOUXS” And “DON’TS” Of the Sweetness versus dryness levels of Bubbly from anywhere in the world including from CHAMPAGNE , Please don’t wait for a Celebration to pop the cork. “ALWAYS BE CELEBRATING” Drink more Bubbly all year long. It’s my favorite category of Wine. Grape-fully yours, Larry
Larry The Wine Guy 