What does brut mean?

Brut is a term applied to the driest Champagne and sparkling wines. Brut wines are drier which means they contain less residual sugar than those labeled “extra dry.” Extra Brut denotes a wine that’s extremely dry, sometimes totally dry. Totally dry sparkling wines (those that aren’t sweetened with a little dosage) are also sometimes called Brut Nature or Brut Integral.

Here is a chart on dryness levels:

 

Level of Dryness
Amount of residual sugar per litre
Extra Brut
0.6%
Dry - Sweet
Brut
1.5%
Extra Dry
1.2 – 2.0%
Sec
1.7 – 3.5%
Demi-Sec
3.3 5.0%
Doux
5% +