Types of Champagne
There are only two classic types of Champagne: Blanc de Blancs, made from Chardonnay grapes, and Blanc de Noirs, made from Pinot Noir grapes. There is a third authorized grape from the Champagne area of France called Pinot Meunier and this is used primarily to make a blend. The other element that determines ‘type of champagne’ is the Residual Sugar (RS) in the dosage, which is used in the finishing of the champagne.
Dosage Classifications of Champagne
(percent of residual sugar)
| Natural | 0 |
| Brut | 0-1.5 |
| Extra Dry | 1.2-2.0 |
| Sec | 2.0-4.0 |
| Demi Sec | 4.0-6.0 |
| Doux | 6.0 ~ |
So what does this mean? The “driest” champagnes are classified as Natural. These are generally scarce.
Most commonly consumed are in the Brut classification. However, notice that the range of sugar for Brut is quite large. That means you could get a Brut as “dry” as a Natural- with 0% residual sugar, or what I would call sweet at 1.5% residual sugar. That’s pretty confusing. Thank our French friends.
At J.Maki Winery all of our champagnes, except the Demi Sec ( a dessert champagne) are finished with no more than 0.5% residual sugar. That is why they all taste very dry.
We prefer dry and think these wines and champagnes pair better with foods. That’s our personal opinion.