THERE’S nothing better than hearing the pop of a cork as you pour yourself a glass of fizz over Christmas and New Year.
But which supermarket versions are a must-have on your shopping list – and which ones are a miss?
We’ve tested supermarket versions of prosecco, cava and champagne to find out which are the best value for money this year.
We compared own-brand bubbly sold at Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Aldi, Lidl and Waitrose – and saw how they fared against brands like Segura Viudas vintage cava and Moet champagne.
We scored each bubbly out of ten for taste and out of ten for value for money (taking into account their alcohol content), giving an overall score of 20.
Here’s how they compared – and there’s a winner in each category:
Prosecco
Tesco Finest Valdobbiadene Prosecco, £10.00 for 750ml (11.0% ABV)
Tesco’s prosecco was crisp, light and sweet, with a fruity aftertaste.
It was a very pale colour and lacked bubbles, but it was fresh-tasting and easy to drink.
At £1.33 per 100ml, this was one of the most expensive supermarket prosecco bottles we tried, but it was slightly higher in alcohol content than many other brands.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 7/10
- Total: 15/20
Asda Prosecco Brut, £7.52 for 750ml (10.5% ABV)
This prosecco from Asda was full of lively bubbles and had a classic taste of grape – more like a sparkling wine than a sweetened prosecco.
It was pleasant to drink and cost a bargain £1 per 100ml – the cheapest we tried.
- Taste: 7/10
- Value: 9/10
- Total: 16/20
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Conegliano Prosecco Superiore, £10.00 for 750ml (10.5% ABV)
Sainsbury’s prosecco was all fizz and not much taste.
It was very bubbly but thin and watery tasting.
But that did mean it was light and easy to drink.
At £1.33 per 100ml, this was as expensive as the Tesco version but had a slightly lower alcohol content.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 6/10
- Total: 12/20
Morrisons The Best Prosecco DOC, £8.00 for 750ml (10.5% ABV)
This prosecco from Morrisons had a dark straw colour and was much more harsh and acidic than the other brands we tried.
It felt less refined – but at just £1.07 per 100ml, this was definitely a low-cost option.
- Taste: 5/10
- Value: 7/10
- Total: 12/20
Aldi Castellore Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, £7.99 for 750ml (11.0% ABV)
The prosecco from Aldi was aggressively bubbly – this one split over the floor when opened.
But despite having quite a harsh, boozy edge, it didn’t taste of much.
It was the same low price of £1.07 per 100ml as the Morrisons version, but had a slightly higher alcohol content.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 14/10
WINNER
Lidl Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, £7.99 for 750ml (11.0% ABV)
We were impressed with Lidl’s prosecco, which had a sweet, apple taste and a light straw colour.
It was gently bubbly and easy to drink.
And at £1.07 per 100ml, it was one of the cheapest prosecco drinks we tested – but tasted like premium quality.
- Taste: 9/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 17/20
Waitrose Prosecco DOC, £8.50 for 750ml (10.5% ABV)
The Waitrose prosecco had a dry but floral taste.
It tasted more complex and sophisticated than the other supermarket brands – but it had a harsh aftertaste that meant it wasn’t light or easy to drink.
At £1.13 per 100ml, this was very reasonably priced for the upmarket retailer.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 16/10
CAVA
Segura Viudas Brut Vintage Cava, £12.00 for 750ml (12.0% ABV) at Tesco
This premium cava is available in Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons. It has a strong, sharp taste of apples.
We found it quite harsh and punchy – and our reviewers were split on whether it was sophisticated or unpleasant.
At £1.60 per 100ml, this is more expensive than the supermarket brands and not guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
- Taste: 7/10
- Value: 6/10
- Total: 13/20
Asda Extra Special Mas Miralda Cava Rosado Vintage Brut, £7.48 for 750ml (12.0% ABV)
This pink cava from Asda was disappointingly flat and lacking in bubbles.
The flavour also tasted like cheap wine, with a harsh aftertaste.
At just £1 per 100ml, this is a cheap option but unfortunately it tastes like it.
- Taste: 4/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 12/20
Morrisons The Best Marques de Los Rios Cava Brut, £9.25 for 750ml (11.0% ABV)
We were really impressed with the Morrisons cava. It was light and refreshingly bubbly, with a dry, nutty taste.
It felt like a quality product. At £1.23 per 100ml this was pricier than other supermarket brands – but still around 25 per cent less than the branded cava. This felt like a brand, but cost much less.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 7/10
- Total: 15/20
Aldi Baron Amarillo Cava Brut, £5.75 for 750ml (11.0% ABV)
The Aldi cava is enjoyably light and fruity on first sip but it’s let down by a really harsh, acidic aftertaste that made our testers wince.
At just 77p per 100ml, this was the cheapest option we tested. It might work better in a Buck’s Fizz where the aftertaste would be covered by orange juice.
- Taste: 5/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 13/20
Lidl Arestel Cava Brut, £5.75 for 750ml (11.0% ABV)
Lidl’s cava was really sweet and very thin. It reminded our testers of a sweet fizzy drink – like Appletiser – but with a strong chemical aftertaste.
This was cheap, at just 77p per 100ml, but you’d be better off spending a few more pennies on something else.
- Taste: 5/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 13/20
WINNER
Waitrose Cava Brut, £8.00 for 750ml (10.5% ABV)
The cava from Waitrose had a refreshing citrus taste – but we felt it would be more suitable as a summer drink than a warming Christmas one.
It had a disappointing lack of bubbles but at just £1.07 per 100ml, this was reasonably priced.
It was the best-tasting cava out of the cheaper options we tried.
Taste: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Total: 16/20
CHAMPAGNE
Moët & Chandon Champagne Impérial Brut, £45.00 for 750ml (12.5% ABV)
This is a classic. It’s light and gloriously bubbly, with a traditional champagne taste of grass and biscuits.
But it comes at a price – the whopping £45 per bottle price tag makes it nearly twice as expensive as some of the supermarket versions.
- Taste: 9/10
- Value: 6/10
- Total: 15/20
Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne Brut, £26.00 for 750ml (12.5% ABV)
Tesco’s champagne is crisp and dry but verging on sharp. Although it’s quite harsh on first sip, it has a light and fruity aftertaste.
At £26 per bottle, we felt this was a bit overpriced for supermarket champagne – although its alcohol content did match Moet’s.
- Taste: 5/10
- Value: 6/10
- Total: 11/20
Asda Exceptional Champagne Benoit Renaud Blanc de Noirs Brut, £24.98 for 750ml (12.0% ABV)
This champagne from Asda was light and easy to drink but lacked taste. It was sweet and a bit watery.
Our testers felt it could be a good option for a toast for guests who aren’t big fans of the traditional champagne taste.
At £24.98 per bottle, this was a fair price for the quality.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 7/10
- Total: 12/20
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Non-Vintage Champagne Brut, £24.00 for 750ml (12.0% ABV)
The non-vintage champagne from Sainsbury’s had a surprisingly dark orange colour.
It had a strong taste of apples, but was overall a decent copy of much higher-priced champagnes.
For £24 per bottle, this is one of the cheapest supermarket champagnes available this year – and would be a great substitute for fancier brands.
- Taste: 7/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 15/20
WINNER
Morrisons The Best Champagne Etienne Leclair Brut, £27.00 for 750ml (12.0% ABV)
This champagne from Morrisons was an impressive copy of Moet. It was light, with a biscuit flavour, and easy to drink without any harshness.
In fact, some of our testers preferred it over the Moet.
At £27 per bottle, you have to pay a few pounds more for this than other supermarket champagnes.
But not only is it well worth it, it’s only 60 per cent of the cost of the premium brand.
- Taste: 9/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 17/20
Aldi Champagne Nicholas de Montbard Brut, £13.99 for 750ml (12.5% ABV)
This champagne from Aldi was very light and easy-to-drink, although there was a slightly synthetic taste to it.
But the most incredible thing about it is the price. Just £13.99 is incredibly low for a bottle of champagne – and it certainly doesn’t taste like it costs just it’s only a third of the price of Moet.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 9/10
- Total: 15/20
Lidl Champagne Bissinger & Co Premier Cru Brut, £24.99 for 750ml (12.5% ABV)
We were disappointed by Lidl’s champagne. It was flat, without the joyful bubbles you expect in champers.
And it tasted thin and bland.
At £24.99 per bottle, this was one of the most expensive options on offer at the supermarket.
We felt there were better, cheaper options available.
- Taste: 4/10
- Value: 5/10
- Total: 9/20
Waitrose No.1 Vintage Champagne Brut, £39.00 for 750ml (12.5% ABV)
The champagne from Waitrose tastes enjoyably fresh and grassy on first sip, but has a harsh aftertaste.
You would expect something very close to premium champagne for the bottle price of £39, but this doesn’t quit live up to expectations.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 6/10
- Total: 14/20
All prices correct at time of testing.
