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Whether you prefer to pop the cork on prosecco, English fizz or alcohol-free, these sparkling wines are the best around
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A celebratory bottle of bubbly doesn’t just mean champagne any more. Sure, it could be champagne, but it also could be méthode Tasmanoise, crémant or even English or Indian sparkling wine.
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Whether it’s dryness, flavour, or a specific country of origin or you’re looking for, there is a fizz to fit the bill. Here’s a selection of the best supermarket, wine club and online picks to raise a glass with. Bottoms up!
The Society’s Champagne Brut NV
£33.81 at the Wine Society
The Wine Society’s own-brand champagne is a wine trade favourite. Produced by champagne house Alfred Gratien, it’s a classic chardonnay-focused blend with rich notes of toasted brioche, balanced with a fresh, lemony zestiness. This champers is exceptional value for money, especially when you go for a case of six. Party time.
Finest Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG
£10 at Tesco
Is it worth spending an extra £1.50 for the “G” on the DOC? Simply put: yes. Prosecco from Valdobbiadene is a different beast – the bubbles are finer, the fruit is brighter and the texture is softer. A special wine at a bargain price.
Cave de Turckheim Crémant d’Alsace
£13.99 at Fenwick
£13.99 at Waitrose Cellar
Champagne made in Alsace with different grapes – pinot blanc and pinot gris – give it notes of blossom, green apple and honey. Cave de Turckheim has a solid reputation, so you’re in safe hands with this one.
Vinicola Nulles, Adernats Cava de Guarda Brut Nature NV
£14 at Uncharted Wines
£14.05 at Parched Wine
Cava is often overlooked in favour of a similar-priced prosecco, but it actually has more in common with champagne. It undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle (rather than a tank, like prosecco). Beautifully bubbly Brut Nature cava is good-quality stuff, made from organic grapes and aged in a bottle for 24 months.
Chapel Down Brut NV
£22 at Amazon
£26.99 at Master of Malt
An English wine for fans of champagne. It’s made in the same way, with the same grape varieties, and grown on the chalky North Downs of Kent. Chapel Down brings you crisp and fresh British bubbles with flavours of crunchy red apples and strawberries – perfect for a new year celebration.
Venturini Baldini Montelocco Lambrusco Rosso
£14.75 at Abel & Cole
£16.50 at Vintage Roots
Your idea of sparkling red wine, in particular lambrusco, may be a hangover from the 1970s, but this speciality from the hills of Reggio Emilia is having its time in the sun once again. Venturini Baldini is a reliable producer to seek out for its lively, ruby-coloured lambrusco wines, which are all organic. This one is aromatic and herbaceous with flavours of black cherries and cassis. Drink chilled.
Grover Zampa Soirée Brut
£19 at Maharaja Drinks
Impress guests with something a bit different: sparkling wine from India. The Grover Zampa Soirée Brut hails from Bengaluru and it’s made like champagne, with the chenin blanc grape. It’s on the sweeter side of dry, with fruity notes of pear and lemon, but the crisp acidity will cut through anything fried and rich.
Jansz Premium Cuvée NV
£13.99 at Waitrose Cellar
£17.99 at Loki Wine
Made in the méthode Tasmanoise (which is the same as méthode Champenoise, but Tasmanian) in the cool bit of Australia, this lively sparkling has delicious notes of citrus and nougat. Fun and approachable but made from serious stuff.
Kylie Minogue alcohol free sparkling rosé
£5.49 at the Bottle Club
£6 at Ocado
If anyone knows how to party, it’s Kylie. This pink-hued fizz, with popping flavours of fresh raspberries and strawberry laces, hits all the right notes for a celebration without the alcohol.
For more no-booze bubbles, read our guide to the best non-alcoholic champagne and sparkling wines
Sophia Longhi is an award-winning wine communicator, wine writer and international wine judge. She is of a good vintage and is now ageing in Brighton. Follow her on Instagram at @skinandpulp
The article was originally published on 2 July 2024. It has been amended to include two new wine reviews, and all prices checked. Reviews in the Filter may be periodically updated to reflect new products; such revisions are at the editor’s discretion. The date of an article’s most recent update can be found in the timestamp at the top of the page. This article was last updated on 26 December 2024; some of the choices were changed.
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