There are many factors that influence the flavour of Champagne; grape variety, vineyard, vintage, blend, pressing (first, second or third?) but one of the other ways is in the content of the liqueur d'expedition which is used to top-up the bottles after they have been disgorged and the sediment removed.

This liquid contains varying amounts of sugar syrup and some reserve wine. The amount of sugar in this mixture determines the style of the Champagne:

Extra Brut

This is an uncommon style these days, resulting in a very dry wine. The sugar content or dosage is from 0-6 grammmes of sugar per litre. Only Laurent-Perrier's recently introduced Ultra Brut is widely available in this style.

Brut

Most Champagnes come into this category. The sugar content is from 0-15 grammes per litre. In exceptional harvests the grapes have enough natural sugar to be a "Brut" style without any dosage. An example is Année de la Comète 1986 from Raymond Boulard.

Extra-Sec

Very unusual style 12-20 grammes of sugar per litre.

Sec

Very unusual 17-35 grammes of sugar per litre.

Demi-Sec

This style is ideal with desserts and foie gras. Most houses do a Demi-Sec. The sugar content is between 35-50 g. per l. Mercier have recently introduced a Demi-Sec Rosé which is very unusual, but very good.

Doux

This style is intensely sweet at over 50 grammes of sugar per litre, and extremely rare. The early Champagnes, particularly those favoured in Russia (which was a major Champagne market until the revolution in 1917!) were of this style.