Brut
/bʁyt/ (French), /bruːt/ (English approximation)
A sweetness designation for sparkling wine indicating a dry style with low residual sugar, typically between 0 and 12 g/L. Brut wines taste dry on the palate, though they may show a faint impression of sweetness compared with drier categories like Extra Brut or Brut Nature.
Examples
- A non-vintage Champagne Brut from a major house usually has around 6–10 g/L of residual sugar to balance its high acidity, making it a versatile aperitif wine.
- A Spanish Cava labeled 'Brut' signals a dry sparkling style, drier than 'Seco' or 'Semi-Seco', and suitable for pairing with tapas and light seafood dishes.
- A bottle labeled 'Brut Rosé' from California indicates a pink sparkling wine made in a dry style, with just enough dosage to soften acidity without tasting sweet.
Etymology
From French 'brut', meaning 'raw, rough, unrefined', derived from Old French 'brut' and ultimately from Latin 'brutus' ('dull, heavy'). In 19th-century Champagne, the term came to describe wines that were 'raw' or minimally sweetened, in contrast to the very sweet styles then popular. As drier Champagnes gained favor, especially in the British market, 'Brut' was adopted and later codified in French and EU regulations as the standard term for a relatively dry sparkling wine style based on residual sugar content.