Fizz for a King: Which? reveals budget-friendly bubbly ahead of the coronation

Supermarket own-label fizz holds its own against more expensive rivals in Which?’s sparkling wine taste tests, with one impressive bottle costing just £8 – in time for the coronation weekend.

The consumer champion’s expert taste tests have uncovered some impressive budget-friendly bottles of sparkling wine and champagne available at the supermarket and experts have handpicked some of the best options which balance both affordability and taste.

For those hoping to mark the big occasion with home-grown bubbly, Aldi’s Bowler & Brolly Winemasters Lot English Sparkling Wine secured a coveted Best Buy recommendation in the English Sparkling wine test, beating many pricier alternatives.

While English sparkling wine is typically more expensive than other types of fizz due to lower grape yields and higher production costs than some other countries, Aldi’s offering was the cheapest Best Buy in the test. Costing £19.99 per bottle, it impressed the judges with its flavours of ripe apple and honeysuckle and had a slightly savoury finish reminiscent of bread-and-butter pudding.

In the champagne category, Which? found Tesco’s Finest Premier Cru Champagne to be a crowd-pleasing option. Despite costing around half as much as some big branded options, Tesco’s £23 bottle scooped the top spot in Which?’s champagne taste test, surpassing Lanson and Moët & Chandon. It was commended for its pleasant, nutty finish.

In separate tests, Which? also found several cheaper alternatives to English sparkling wine and Champagne that could be a hit on the big day.

Cava, prosecco and crémant are all typically cheaper options and two own-label bottles for under £10 stood out from the crowd.

Asda’s Extra Special Mas Miralda Cava Brut 2017, at £8 per bottle, scored highly in Which?’s 2022 summer sparkling wine taste test. It finished in joint third place, with experts complimenting its fun, fresh and simple style with notes of lemon curd, and earthy, nutty complexity.

Another affordable fizz that was hailed by the panel was the Co-op’s Irresistible Prosecco. Priced at £9.50, experts enjoyed its sweet, fruity flavours of peach and pear.

 

Ele Clark, Which? Retail Editor, said: 

“Those looking to toast the coronation with a fizz fit for a king will be delighted to find out they can get a great-tasting bottle on a budget, with some of the cheapest sparkling wines we tested giving the big brands a run for their money.

“Once again our taste tests have proven that supermarket fizz can more than hold its own against the famous champagne houses, delivering excellent quality and great value for money.”

ENDS

 

Notes to editors: 

  • An expert judging panel champagne and wine specialists judged the wines. The taste test was undertaken blind. Each expert tried the wines in a different order to avoid bias and, after all the wines had been tasted, the panel agreed on a score for each bottle and which ones deserved to be Best Buys before the brands were revealed.

  • Which? only awards its Best Buy logo to those products that hit the gold standard for quality in its independent tests.

  • Prices are correct as of April 2023.

  • For images, please contact hannah.simms@which.co.uk.


About Which?

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.

The information in this press release is for editorial use by journalists and media outlets only. Any business seeking to reproduce information in this release should contact the Which? Endorsement Scheme team at endorsementscheme@which.co.uk.

 

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