Some centilitres lost during the draining are replaced by a mixture of old wine and sugar, called “liqueur d’expédition”: it is the dosage.
The quantity of sugar present in the liqueur of expedition(shipping) is going to determine if the champagne will be raw(gross), dry or semi-dry. (Semi-dry and soft, even sweeter champagnes, became rare).
According to the content in sugars of the used liqueur, we shall speak about a champagne:
- natural Crude oil(Gross salary), so called not measured, or zero dosage. This category appeared in 1996 excludes the addition(bill) of sugar after the foam grip(taking) and the content in residual sugar has to remain lower than 3 grams by liter.
- Special raw(gross), when the dosage is situated between 0 – 6 g/l, appreciated the amateurs of cigars.
- Crude oil(Gross salary), when the dosage is situated below 15 g/l.
- Special dry, when the dosage is situated between 12 and 20 g/l
- Dry, when the dosage is situated between 17 and 35 g/l
- Semi-dry, when the dosage is situated between 33 and 50 g/l
- Soft, when the dosage is situated beyond 50 g/l.
