Doux

Definition - What does Doux mean?

Doux is a term found on some sparkling and Champagne wine bottles. It is used to inform the consumer how much residual sugar is contained in the wine. Doux is the sweetest level for sparkling and Champagne wines with over 50 grams per liter of residual sugar. That is equivalent to about 5 ounces of sugar per serving.

WineFrog explains Doux

There are subjective sweetness levels which relate to several factors in the wine. It can be the level of certain alcohols which give the wine a "sweet" taste and structure. The way acids and tannin interact with the alcohol in wine can also determine its perceived sweetness. And then, there is the amount of sugar contained in the wine. This is called residual sugar.

The difference in the labels of sparkling and Champagne wines are based on the amount of residual sugar per liter.

The labels from driest to sweetest are:

  • Brut Nature
  • Extra Brut
  • Brut
  • Extra Dry, Extra Sec, Extra seco
  • Dry, Sec, Seco
  • Demi-sec, Semi-seco
  • Doux, Sweet, Dulce.

Doux Champagne or sparkling wines are often served as dessert wines along with dessert, a cheese platter or even alone.