Zero (additional) sugar champagnes may be all the go right now, but beyond the hype they offer an uncommon window into Champagne’s soul. The best are crystalline and pure, exacting – without being harsh – saline and enthralling. But is it more than a question of taste? Annette Lacey MW gives her view on the role of dosage in champagne wines.
The role of sugar, in the creation of champagne, is such a fascinating topic. Sugar plays a pivotal role at three key stages in champagne production. Firstly, fruit sugar ripeness is needed for alcoholic fermentation to create the base wine, then the liqueur de tirage addition, where it gets added to create bubbles, then finally the liqueur d’expedition (dosage of sugar and wine) may be added to create the final style. Each stage impacts flavour, mouthfeel and overall balance of the champagne, but the dosage - or lack of - has the most marked effect on champagne’s final style.
History tells us that champagnes were sweeter in the nineteenth century when Russian Tsars preferred champagne with up to 300g/L. As the biggest market at the time, it drove the popularity of these high dosage styles. Consumer preference was an important influence on style; Louis Roederer originally based their dosage levels on importer’s requests, driven by market demands. Fast forward to current times and these decisions are now based on village terroir, House style and philosophy. Notwithstanding this, consumer demand continues to play an influential role, seen by the increased demand for zero dosage styles.
Over the last decade, there has been a gradual decrease in dosage levels. In 2011, Moët et Chandon decreased dosage from 12g/L to 9g/L for their best-selling Brut Impérial, as did Jacquesson in their 734 release from 5 g/L to 3.4 g/L. It highlights the changing demand for drier styles but also advances in viticultural and vinification techniques. Improved vineyard management, better vintages that see greater ripeness achieved at lower pH, and evolving winemaking and its implementation, are all key to the reduction in dosage we see today.
Philipponnat’s Clos de Goisses dosage is just 4g/L thanks to its south-facing aspect, which achieves greater fruit ripeness, and therefore supports a lower dosage style. Comparatively, their Royale Réserve, sourced from numerous vineyards, is 8g/L and requires a higher dosage as ripeness is not as consistent as single site terroir. Veuve Fourny et Fils has also reduced dosage over the last decade by 7g/L by harvesting at better maturity and using old vines to concentrate flavour.
But it’s not just about flavour - there is concern that zero dosage wines will not have the same ability to age as those with dosage. Brut nature champagnes typically lack the rich and complex character with the freshness dosage adds. Benoît Gouez, cellar master at Moët et Chandon, comments that “sugar helps champagne recover from the oxidative shock of disgorgement and contributes to the wine’s aging potential.” However, dosage can also be used as a tool to conceal issues such as underripe fruit, therefore producers practising zero dosage need perfectly ripe fruit otherwise imperfections will be laid bare. Longevity of these styles remains unproven, for the most part.
Some iconic zero dosage champagnes include Agrapart’s Venus, Larmandier-Bernier’s Terre de Vertus and Vouette et Sorbée’s Blanc d’ Argile. Each of these producers is focused on selecting ripe fruit that supports a zero dosage regime, and often many of these non-dose styles do require several years to open up before reaching their full potential. In 2014, Salon released two expressions from 2002 - a zero dosage and an extra brut with 5 g/L – each very different from the other. The zero dosage was leaner, tighter, more focused and vibrant, while the extra brut was more open and mouth-filling, yet longer on the palate. This suggests that neither one is better - just different - highlighting that careful fruit selection was all important.
Dosage may be political these days, but it really is all about balance. Nonetheless, market demands can influence style, as we have seen through the ages, and changing viticultural and vinification techniques is also impactful. The viability of non-dose champagnes has a role to play in champagne production and constitutes an important part of its style and our ultimate enjoyment.
