Wine has a long way to go until a non-alcoholic one can really replace the real thing. Removing alcohol also removes flavour and in my experience they often end up tasting more like grape juice than wine. However, alcohol-free sparkling wines tend to style it out a bit better than most and this relatively new …
Made for the Co-op by none other than Piper Heidsieck, this award-winning own label champagne is based on a similar blend of the three classic champagne grapes (mostly Pinot Noir, with Pinot Meunier and some Chardonnay too). One of the best champagnes currently under £20 around, this is such good value. Yes, there are some …
Vintage champagne is rarely cheap but this one, from one of the more under the radar Champagne Houses (and the second oldest in the region) is a relative bargain. Made from a classic blend of champagne grapes it’s the extra age that gives this one its edge, all honey and toasted nuts with a streak …
One of my favourite wines currently on the English wine scene, this rich, complex, toasty, nutty, citrusy sparkler is SUCH a treat. Made from a blend of mostly Chardonnay, along with some Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier all grown in Hampshire vineyards on prized chalky soil, it’s aged for around three years on its lees …
There are now lots and lots and LOTS of gorgeous English Sparkling wines to choose from but finding a good one for under £20 is a bit of a challenge (making sparkling wine via the traditional ‘champagne’ method i.e. with a second bubble-inducing fermentation happening inside the bottle is a relatively expensive business). This is …
If you want baby Champagne at Prosecco prices, this is it. From the Bourgogne region, it’s a blend of mostly Pinot Noir with a dollop of Chardonnay, Gamay and local grape Aligote and the result is like just-crushed lemon biscuits in a glass. Properly good value for money and the winner of this year’s Great …
New to the shelf in the last few weeks, expect to see a LOT of pink Prosecco from now on. Actually it’s been around for years, just not labelled as Rose (Italian laws didn’t allow it). Now you can as long as the blend has at least 15% of the Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir in …
Another pink from Kent but this time with bubbles. It’s made in the same way as champagne (fermented in the bottle for a second bubble-inducing time) from a blend of the three classic champagne grapes and when you stick your nose in the glass you get a face full of strawberries and cream. Fantastic value …
Currently on offer with a whopping £4.50 off the normal price, this is a really fantastic traditional method (meaning made in the same way as champagne) sparkling wine from the cool climate of Tasmania. It’s a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and manages to stuff both subtle red fruits and broken …
One of the brightest stars on the English sparkling wine scene, Black Chalk is the brand created by winemaker Jacob Leadley. This one’s made from a blend of Hampshire-grown grapes including all three of the classic champagne varieties. A small part of the blend is fermented in oak barrels adding a bit more oomph. But …
The Languedoc region in southern France was making sparkling wine back in 1531, long before they were doing the whole second-fermentation trick required to get bubbles in the bottle in Champagne. The blend is quite different though, with local hero grape Mauzac taking the lead. From a great producer, this is crisp and apple-y with …
Sainsbury’s are running a huge offer across their wine range until the 15th December, 25% off 6 bottles or more. And because Möet is already on offer (£29 down from £35), buy six bottles and it takes it down to just £21.75 per bottle. Now, I know Möet isn’t an obvious choice. Actually it’s almost …
Crémant is the umbrella name given to French sparkling wine made in the same way as champagne (aka Traditional Method) but from a designated region other than Champagne. This one – as the name tells you – is from the Loire Valley in northern France and is made from a blend of Chenin Blanc and …
A bit like Prosecco but drier, this Italian sparkler is from the neighbouring region, Emilia Romagna. And it’s made from different grapes – Pignoletto aka Grechetto Gentile – so has a little more bite to it compared with Prosecco. Light and fresh with lovely pear fruit flavours, it’s a proper crowd pleaser (and at this …
Hands down the best value rosé champagne on the shelves at the moment, IMHO. It’s got all the things you want in a pink fizz – fine bubbles, a touch of toast, delicate-but-definitely-there red fruit flavours – and above all, freshness. And all for well under £20 which, whilst still not cheap, is a bargain …
Prosecco can be a bit hit and miss nowadays, not least because there’s so much of it about. But this one, especially with £1.50 off the normal price (until 12th December) is a proper Christmas cracker. It’s really light and lemony, fresh and frothy and not at all cloying (which some can be). Quality-wise, …
The first English sparkling rose to appear on the shelves at Co-op, this has been made exclusively for them by Hush Heath, an estate down in Kent. It’s a really smart wine for the money, light and fresh with a whiff of red fruits and a properly good citrus twist. Tastes even better on the …
It looks more like a rosé than a white but get past that and you get to the flavours: crushed biscuits, light red fruits and a big dash of citrus keeping everything fresh. Organic champagne isn’t always easy to find, certainly not on supermarket shelves at least. Absolutely fabulous.
Basically, this is pink prosecco – it’s made in the same way, from the same grape and from the same region – but Italian law hasn’t allowed pink prosecco to be a thing so you won’t find the p-word on the label. Actually, this is set to change so expect lots more appearing on the …
This is a pet-nat (the name comes from the French term petillant naturel, which translates as ‘natural sparkling’) wine from traditional-rule-breaking hip young winemakers (god, I sound like my mother) in South Africa’s Swartland region. The fact that the label simply says ‘Made from grapes’ gives you an idea of their approach. Basically, a big …
This is a flavoured syrup, a kind of non-alcoholic answer to Campari. With its bitter orange flavours, it makes a glass of sparkling water way more interesting as well as giving it a terrific splash of colour. And even though it’s not cheap, a little goes a long way; we’re talking a dash to a …
Made by a great producer, this one’s just as a good prosecco should be: fresh, light and frothy with subtle pear and citrus flavours. It’s £1 cheaper than normal until the end of December and even though there are plenty of cheaper proseccos out there, I’d rather spend £1 more and get something that doesn’t …
If only champagne will do, this is one of the best bargains on the shelf at the moment. (And having tasted around 40 in the last week alone there are some real duds out there). There’s £8 off (it’s usually £23.99) so you get a properly good quality fizz for the money, all clean and …
If you love Prosecco but want something a little drier, try this. It’s made from a nearby region in Italy, is made in the same way and has that same easy-going frothiness. But the grape used to make it is different so the result is more crisp green apple than your average Prosecco. Normally £8/bottle …
Currently on offer (it’s normally £13.99), it’s an absolute shoo-in if you want something that tastes like champagne but is more like prosecco in price. It’s made by the traditional method (meaning the second bubble-inducing fermentation happens in the bottle rather than in a tank, like prosecco) and is made from one of the three …
Normally £13.99, this is on offer at the moment and I’d take two bottles of this over a £20 bottle of champagne, tbh. Made from two of the three classic champagne grapes (Pinot Noir & Chardonnay) along with some Chenin Blanc, it’s more fruity than Prosecco, less serious than Champagne. And relatively cheap as chips. …
Love the name of this brand, named after an American 1920s term for a boozy drink. You can’t get Prosecco in a can (not allowed by Italian law) but this sparkling Italian white is made from the same grape – Glera – and has the same light, lemony, bubbly feel to it. Chill it down …
A magnum of Prosecco with a smart-looking label for half the price of a single bottle of champagne? Yes please. It’s simple, like drinking lemon sherbet, but when you’ve got a garden full of kids trampling all over the daffodils trying to find eggs that haven’t melted in the sun/been rained on then it’s exactly …
The price of champagne has really crept up over the last few years, the average price per bottle now well over £20. And that’s for the normal stuff. So to find this one, from a great (but small) vintage and made from grapes grown in the best quality vineyards (the words Grand Cru on the …
Lidl bill this as their hangover-free Prosecco. Sadly, drink enough and it will give you a hangover because, well, alcohol. But it is made from organically grown grapes so the vineyards are chemical-free – a good thing. Plus the levels of added sulphur in organic wines are generally lower than your average wine so if …
A bit like Prosecco, but from a neighbouring region in Italy and made from a different grape (the fabulously-named Pignoletto). It’s drier in style but with that same charming pear and citrus deal going on. Talking of deals, it’s normally a couple of quid more expensive so is an absolute steal at the moment.
From the Limoux region in southern France, Blanquette de Limoux claims to be France’s oldest sparkling wine. It’s made in the traditional method, getting its fizz via a second fermentation in the bottle (just like champagne). Made from local grape Mauzac, along with some Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, this one’s all apples and pears. And …
Love, love, love this sparkling Pinot Noir from the brilliantly-named, family-run Bird in Hand winery in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills region. It’s stuffed with gorgeous soft red fruit flavours – strawberries, cherries – and with a gentle fizz that feels more expensive than it is. Sleek design, sleek wine. Definitely worth two in the fridge, …
Made from Chardonnay grapes grown in France, this smells and tastes a lot more wine-like than most low or no alcohol wines. It certainly looks like the real thing with it’s champagne-like packaging and punchy price point. Fruity, with peach and pear flavours, it’s medium dry rather than dry (sugar is often added to make …
OK, so this is fermented grape juice rather than proper wine but taste-wise, it’s a pretty good alternative if you’re don’t want the buzz of alcohol. It’s blended with green tea, adding a bit of tannin and taste. Fresh, fruity, gently sparkling and beautifully packaged, it’s one of the best 0% grown up soft options …
One of the smartest own label champagnes on the shelves at the moment – and definitely one of the best value. This stood out in a recent tasting (the one I did on the telly with Phil & Holly. Just in case, you know, I hadn’t mentioned it). Anyway, it’s a toasty little thing with …
If you want something more like Champagne rather than Prosecco taste-wise but more like Prosecco rather than Champagne price-wise, Crémant is a great way to go. Basically, it’s the name given to sparkling wine made in the same way as Champagne (as in it’s fermented for a second bubble-inducing time in the bottle) but from …
Cava is often written off as the cheap alternative to champagne/more serious alternative to prosecco but there’s more to it than that. Made in Spain in the same way that Champagne’s made (meaning it’s bottle fermented), this one’s ripe and fruity but with that same toasty champagne character. Made from a blend of classic Cava grapes including …
I know they say size doesn’t matter but when it comes to a bottle of Prosecco, I beg to differ. This is a magnum (equivalent to two bottles) and it’s currently on offer (it’s normally it’s £19). This is just how I like my prosecco: fresh and frothy with soft bubbles and lots of pear …
Much as I love champagne, I do love a good cremant (basically, sparkling wine from France made in the same way as champagne, but not from the Champagne region). Not just because it’s usually half the price but because it’s refreshingly different. This one’s like lemon meringue pie, with soft citrus fruits and with a …
Read more “Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Cremant de Loire”
This is from Piedmont, the smartest wine region in Italy (think Barolo). But Asti is often relegated to the bottom shelf in shops over here, written off as cheap, sweet and, if we’re honest, a bit naff. But the good ones are gorgeous: light (this one’s only 7%), frothy and floral with gentle sweetness. Sip …
Not easy to find fresh, crisp, fruity rose champagne at this price. I mean, it’s not cheap but for champagne it’s about as cheap as a good rose gets. Compared with some of the more expensive stuff it’s not nearly as delicate but you still get the thrill of bubbles and berries and toast. Pretty to …
Made exclusively for M&S by a producer called Oudinot, it’s a blend of the two red grapes allowed in Champagne, namely Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. And it’s gorgeous: fresh and crisp with a gentle whiff of toast about it. The light pink colour comes from the grape skins being left with the juice for …
I’m not saying that you have to drink pink for Valentine’s Day but if ever there was a time for pink fizz, this is as good as any. Especially when it’s on offer as it is at the moment (it’s usually about £10, available in Sainsbury’s and Morrisons too). There’s a touch of sweetness here, …
This is so much better than your average Prosecco. Made from vineyards in the Valdobbiadene region, the fruit is fresh and bright, with gorgeous pear and white peach flavours. All this really needs is a plate of nibbles, ideally antipasti – cured meats, little chunks of parmesan or pecorino, tiny green olives, breadsticks. Delicious.
If you’ve reached peak Prosecco (don’t laugh; apparently it’s happening to some people) then it’s time to go and revisit that old Spanish faithful, Cava. Made from a blend of indigenous grapes, it’s somewhat more fruity and biscuity than Prosecco thanks to heaps of Spanish sun and a different winemaking process (Cava is bottle-fermented compared with Prosecco, …
It’s not Champagne, but it’s made in the same way (the bubbles are made in the bottle thanks to a second fermentation) and it’s also from France. But because it’s made in Southern France and from a different blend of grapes (in this case, Chardonnay, Maury and Chenin Blanc), it tastes similar but different. There’s …
I’m thinking pink for this weekend to kick off Sunday lunch, quite one of my favourites times of the Bank Holiday weekend, always. Came across this one at a recent Aldi press tasting and it stood out for all the right reasons, not least for its brilliant value. It’s fresh and crisp, with gentle strawberry …
On offer at £9.95 until Sunday 3rd April and if you buy six bottles, the price per bottle goes down to £7.45 – an insanely cheap price for a bottle of champagne. I had to scour a few stores to find some, mind. Bubbly, lemony and bright, this is a simple take on champagne but …
With Easter Weekend coming up, I plan to drink my fair share of Prosecco. Friends of ours hold an annual Easter Egg hunt in their garden on Sunday morning, with bacon sandwiches and Prosecco for the grown ups whilst the kids eat as many chocolate eggs in the shortest time possible. Now, I love a glass …
OK, so you can get a lovely bunch of flowers for £15 but I’d rather have a bottle of this, TBH. Normally about £20, this is a brilliant buy. Made by a fantastic producer in the Grand Cru (so: top quality) village of Avize in Champagne, it’s a classic blend of champagne grapes and thanks …
Oeil de Perdrix means eye of the partridge, a reference to the pale pink colour of the wine. Not that I’ve got close enough to a partridge to know otherwise but hey, I love the idea. With its pretty label and pop of colour, this blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir has got just right red …
Because sparkling rose is not just for Valentine’s Day. Especially when it’s this good. Served up to friends recently, someone asked what champagne it was. Yes, it’s that good. Made from a blend of the three classic champagne grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – it’s also made in the same way with bubbles …
Named after the colour of a partridge’s eye (not that I’ve ever got close enough to know) this is a great value rose champagne. The label’s lovely but as we know, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Properly fresh and crisp with subtle redcurrant flavours, it’s refreshingly uncomplicated. A perfectly pink way to kick off the evening. Add …
There are loads of good wine buys on the Aldi shelves. All very well if you live near one. Not so good if you don’t. But now – hurrah! – they are doing wine online, with free delivery at the moment too. Their Exquisite Collection is really very good, despite sounding like a range of …
Just before Christmas, I did a big tasting of all the current Prosecco wines on the supermarket shelves at the moment for a piece for the paper. I know, selfless. Anyway, this one came out as one of the best, thanks to its properly frothy (almost creamy) character and fresh lemony flavours. It’s rated as DOCG, …
Beautifully packaged Prosecco at a bargain price. Soft and sherbet-y, add a dash of sloe gin for oomph and a pinch of edible glitter to the glass for the hell of it.
The shelves are awash with champagne offers at this time of year. But with so many (often previously unseen) labels to choose from, you have to choose wisely. This one’s a cracker – no joke.
Give this smart bottle-fermented Chardonnay from France’s hot-right-now (but actually relatively cool in climate terms) Jura region as a present and they’ll never guess what an outrageous bargain it was.
Made from mostly Pinot Noir with some Chardonnay – the two smarty pants grapes of Champagne – this is a wine of two halves. It smells fresh and floral but once it gets hold of the taste buds, there’s a lot more to it. Biscuity and rich – and tastes more expensive than it is, …
This is a great deal – which not all champagne deals are, as you know. But this one really does deliver crisp lemons, toast and a whiff of hazelnuts in a glass, together with bubbles that stay the course (or at least until you have time to finish it). Looks the part too – no …
I bought a bottle of this for Mothering Sunday (had both my mum and mother-in-law here for lunch) and we managed to quaff a bottle well before the gammon hit the table. And it was as good as it has ever been: fresh, frothy, full of pears and promise. A brilliant pre-proper-food drink. The producer …
I’ve tasted a lot of Prosecco wines recently (and wrote a piece on it for the paper here). This one is from the smart DOCG region of Valdobbiadene where some of the best Prosecco Superiore wines can be found. Made from the Glera grape, this one tastes of apples and pears but with a bit …
From Chile, this is made from one of the three classic Champagne grapes, Pinot Noir. And because it’s a red grape, it can make pink wine (it’s the skins that add colour to grape juice). This one’s like a sherbet fizz-bomb, with soft strawberry fruit flavours. Made by a great producer, it’s properly good value …
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