The Naked Truth About Brut Nature Champagne
Brut nature Champagne is the driest, most stripped down style of Champagne. Zero dosage. Pure grape expression. But don’t confuse its minimalist leanings with a lack of effort. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It takes skill, precision and an enormous amount of work to look (and taste) this good.
What is brut nature Champagne?
An understanding of the brut nature Champagne style begins and ends with the concept of “dosage.” Dosage is a measured amount of “liqueur d'expédition,” a mixture of still wine and sugar that a winemaker adds to a bottle of Champagne as a final touch — after disgorgement just before it is corked and caged. Traditionally, the amount has ranged from more than 50 grams per liter for Champagne “doux” (sweet) to less than 12 g/l for Champagne “brut” (dry). Champagne with a sugar content of less than 3 g/l is called “brut nature.”
When did brut nature Champagne become popular?
In the early 19th century, Champagne was made with higher sugar content to hide its high degree of acidity as well as flaws inherent in early winemaking practices. This resulted in a higher demand for doux, demi-sec and dry styles, with each market preferring its own level of sweetness. Champagne destined for Russia had the most sugar, a staggering 200-300 g/l of dosage. Next were France and Germany with 165- 200 g/l, followed by the Americans who preferred Champagne with 110-165 g/l. The English market required the driest Champagne: 22-66 g/l and a very small percentage of 10-30 g/l.
It wasn’t until the mid 1800s that winemakers began experimenting with even lower sugar content. In 1842, Perrier Jouët famously revealed its Cuvée K with less than 5 g/l dosage. The high-profile release helped popularize the drier extra brut style. In 1889, vigneron Eugène Laurent’s widow Mathilde-Emilie Perrier of the newly renamed Veuve Laurent-Perrier launched her Grand Vin San Sucre, the first true brut nature.
Despite these splashy releases, by the turn of the century, the demand for brut and brut nature styles had grown only slightly. It wasn’t until the early 1970s that brut Champagnes began to dominate the market and brut natures began reaching a broader audience. Since then, winemakers in Champagne have perfected the craft of making balanced wines without relying on added sugar to hide mistakes.
For grower-producers especially, good, dry Champagne begins with meticulous care of the land using organic and biodynamic practices to ensure the highest quality fruit. It also requires incredible skill and finesse during the growing stage to coax out the grapes’ natural sugars in Champagne’s cool climate. Growers must meticulously monitor the grapes and constantly assess and reassess what they need in order to thrive. Their success requires a practiced intuition and mindfulness unique to their profession.
Above: the vineyards at Hervieux-Dumez
Secondly, while climate change has increased the intensity and frequency of extreme weather that can be devastating to the vineyards in any given year, progressively warmer temperatures throughout the Champagne region have, in the last several decades, resulted in fruit that is naturally more balanced. Vignerons now use dosage more like a seasoning — the way a chef might use salt, pepper or a squeeze of lemon to finish off a dish — rather than the main ingredient.
Finally, as new generations of grower-producers take over their long-held ancestral domaines, they’re experimenting with fresh, dry styles as a way to honor the vignerons who came before them while also embracing trends and making their mark on the family business. Representing grapes in their most natural state, the brut nature style shows off the unique terroir of their legacy vineyards and proves their skill at producing the world’s best Champagne.
How can I tell if it’s a brut nature?
The driest Champagne style, brut nature, is made with zero dosage. By law, wines classified as “brut nature” are allowed up to 3 g/l of naturally occurring residual sugar, our fatcork producers rarely have any lingering sugar. Without liqueur d’expedition to alter the flavor, clean and precise brut natures are the purest reflection of the grapes and their terroir. It’s Champagne, somm style.
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No added sugar
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Minimal intervention
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Authenticity and ultra expressive of its terroir
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Vibrant minerality
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Precise aromatics: tart citrus, orchard fruit, white flowers, dusty chalk
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Intensely fresh
Is brut nature Champagne good with food?
What food pairs well with brut nature Champagne? Brut nature’s sharp, crisp profile lends itself beautifully to delicate and salty fare. Try it with:
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Seafood and shellfish: lobster, shrimp, oysters
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Raw or grilled fish: sashimi, sushi, sardines, flaky white fish
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Cheeses: tangy goat cheese, Parmesan, blue cheese
Where can I find brut nature Champagne?
Skipping dosage requires incredible finesse during the growing stage, with considerable attention to sunlight and other factors to coax sweetness in Champagne’s cool climate. Because there will be nothing but the pure flavors of the grapes, vignerons only use their very best fruit. In keeping with generational tendencies, younger winemakers in Champagne’s legacy families are experimenting with brut nature styles. And you can find many of them at fatcork.