What is a Brut Nature Champagne?

The dosage process was developed in the 19th century. When Champagne gained favor at the courts of France and England in the 18th century, it was served very sweet: some bottles exceeded 100 grams of sugar per liter! This style matched the tastes of the time, when sweet wines dominated. They were mainly consumed at dessert or tea time.

In the 19th century, dosage gradually became lighter. In 1889, Laurent-Perrier dared to market a “Grand Vin Sans Sucre” to meet British clients’ expectations. This innovation marked a turning point: tastes shifted towards more freshness and lightness.

Au fil du temps, les styles se sont affinés et allégés, jusqu’à l’apparition du BrutNature dans les années 1980. La Maison Laurent-Perrier est à l’origine de la création de la catégorie Brut Nature avec le lancement en 1981 de Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut. Il faut attendre, respectivement, 1985 et 1996 pour que les catégories « Extra Brut » et « Brut Nature » soient créées.

Ce style audacieux a d’abord séduit une poignée de connaisseurs, avant de s’imposer comme une tendance moderne, en écho à la recherche de vins plus secs et plus précis.

Over time, styles became lighter and more refined, leading to the appearance of Brut Nature in the 1980s. Laurent-Perrier pioneered the Brut Nature category with the launch of Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut in 1981. The categories “Extra Brut” and “Brut Nature” were officially established in 1985 and 1996, respectively.

Initially appealing to a small group of connoisseurs, this bold style has since become a modern trend, responding to the demand for drier, more precise wines.

Dosage refers to the addition of liqueur d’expédition (a mix of cane sugar and reserve wine) after disgorgement, to balance the Champagne.

Brut Nature Champagne: less than 3 g/L residual sugar, with no sugar added during dosage.

In comparison:
– Extra Brut: less than 6 g/L
– Brut: less than 12 g/L
– Demi-Sec: 32 to 50 g/L

Brut Nature is therefore the purest and driest style, leaving all the room for the raw material: the wine itself.

Extra Brut has emerged as a compromise style: dry enough to highlight purity and minerality, but with a small dosage that softens the edges, making it slightly more approachable. It can be almost as dry as a Brut Nature (0 g/L) but slightly rounder, depending on the dosage chosen.

This range offers the Houses stylistic freedom, allowing them to adapt the profile of the wine to each vintage and each blend.

• With no sugar added, Brut Nature showcases:
• – mineral tension
• – precise aromatic expression: citrus, white flowers, white‑fleshed fruits, chalky notes
• – sharp freshness
  
  It is a vertical, lively, and straightforward Champagne, requiring precise vinification as no dosage will mask any imbalances.

• A Brut Nature offers a lively, taut, and mineral expression. It is prized for aromatic precision, freshness, and the absence of sugary roundness.
  
  Ideal pairings include:
  – Seafood and shellfish: oysters, sea urchins, raw scallops, caviar
• – Raw or grilled fish: carpaccio, sashimi, sushi, grilled sole
• – Cheeses: Parmesan, aged Comté
• – Contemporary cuisine: iodine-rich dishes, minimalist preparations emphasizing purity and precision

Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut

Launched in 1981, Ultra Brut is a true pioneer. Made from fully mature grapes with perfectly balanced acidity, it receives no dosage. It embodies Laurent‑Perrier’s pioneering vision, revealing a Champagne of crystalline purity, with white flower and citrus aromas, ideal for lovers of straight and airy wines.

Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature

Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature expresses the quintessence of Chardonnay. Its freshness, mineral tension, and elegance make it an exceptional Champagne, perfectly suited for lovers of unadorned cuvées. It pairs wonderfully with seafood, sashimi, or refined haute cuisine dishes.

Brut Nature and Extra Brut Champagnes embody a modern and bold vision of Champagne, centered on purity, freshness, and authentic terroir expression.

– Brut Nature appeals to purists seeking uncompromising, straight wines.
– Extra Brut offers a subtle balance between tension and approachability.

As the pioneer behind the Brut Nature category and with iconic cuvées such as Ultra Brut and Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature, Laurent‑Perrier stands out as a leading House in low‑dosage Champagne, offering precise, elegant, and timeless wines.