In sparkling wine terminology, the dosage is most directly related to:

• A. Grams of sugar per liter in the dosage solution used at disgorgement
• B. Alcohol by volume
• C. CO2 pressure per bottle
• D. Temperature of fermentation

Answer: (D)

Dosage is the sugar solution added after disgorgement to adjust the wine’s sweetness and style. The most direct relation is the grams of sugar per liter in that dosage solution. That sugar amount determines how sweet the final sparkling wine will taste (Brut, Extra Brut, Sec, Doux, etc.), because it’s the sugar that the consumer actually experiences at the end.

Alcohol by volume is set by the primary fermentation and isn’t increased by the dosage, since the dosage is added after fermentation and there’s little to no yeast left to convert the sugar to alcohol. CO2 pressure per bottle comes from how much CO2 was dissolved in the wine and how the wine is stored; the dosage doesn’t set the bottle pressure directly, though sweetness can affect perceived balance. Temperature of fermentation influences how fully the sugar is converted to alcohol during fermentation, not the sweetness added later. So the direct, defining link of dosage is the sugar concentration in the dosage solution.