Sec/Secco/Seco
Sec, Secco and Seco meaning on wine labels
Sec (French), secco (Italian), and seco (Spanish/Portuguese) all translate to dry on wine labels. For still wine, they usually point to low residual sugar. In Champagne and other sparkling wine sweetness scales, Sec is different: it is sweeter than Brut and Extra Dry.
This page owns the exact multilingual label question. The broader wine sweetness chart owns the separate still- and sparkling-wine scales, acidity conditions, and sensory explanation.
Quick links: Sec, Secco, Seco.
Sec vs Secco vs Seco (at a glance)
| Term | Language | Literal meaning | What it usually means on labels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sec | French | Dry | Dry on still wine; a sweeter category on EU sparkling wine | The tricky one—sparkling Sec is sweeter than Brut |
| Secco | Italian | Dry | Dry on still wine; an equivalent term in the EU sparkling Sec band | Do not confuse the word with Prosecco |
| Seco | Spanish (also Portuguese) | Dry | Dry on still wine; an equivalent term in the EU sparkling Sec band | Context decides which scale applies |
Common label questions
What does seco mean?
Seco means dry in Spanish and Portuguese wine labeling. A seco wine (or vino seco) is simply a wine made in a dry style.
What does sec wine mean?
On a still wine label, sec means dry. On Champagne or sparkling wine, Sec is a sweetness category that is sweeter than Brut.
What does secco mean?
Secco means dry in Italian wine. It describes sweetness level, not Prosecco itself.
Why it gets confusing
In most still-wine contexts, these words point to a dry category. Current EU rules for sparkling wine place Sec / Dry / Secco / Seco at 17–32 g/L. Production method does not create that scale: traditional-, tank-, and other sparkling methods are a separate question.
If you’re shopping sparkling, use the sweetness scale as your guide: Brut is drier than Extra Dry, and both are drier than Sec.
Related terms: Wine sweetness chart, Extra dry, Brut, Doux.