When it comes to both Champagne and Prosecco, the term “brut” means that the wine is very dry — or, in other words, that there is very little sugar left in the wine. It’s the kind of sparkling wine that makes your mouth water. It is not the driest of sparkling, though, as you can also find extra brut and brut nature, the latter having no sugar left in the wine at all.

Brut is the style you find most often with bubbly and is by far the most popular, but brut nature is gaining popularity among wine geeks. On the sweeter side moving up from brut, you’ll find extra dry or extra sec, dry or sec, demi-sec, and doux, with doux being the sweetest. These are sparklings more suited for the end of the meal, and can even be drunk in place of dessert. On the other hand, brut, extra brut, and brut nature work from the appetizers through the mains.

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