Be it an anniversary, birthday or engagement, popping open a bottle of champagne is synonymous with celebratory occasions. Traditionally, your flute of fizz likely hailed from Laurent Perrier or Veuve Clicquot – but nowadays, the best supermarkets are producing champagnes and sparkling wine alternatives that are just as good (and a lot better for budgeting).
Last year, Co-op’s champagne was crowned one of the world’s best at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, while Aldi’s £15 bottle won at the World Champagne Awards 2025, and Tesco was close behind with its Clubcard-favourite premier cru. Indeed, ask any sommelier or industry insider, and they’ll tell you that supermarkets and independent houses are producing some of the most exciting and award-winning bottles on the market.
“Supermarket own labels often offer a great entry point for Champagne,” explains wine critic Rosamund Hall, “as they’re working with highly respected producers to source high quality wines for the best value available – you won’t find quirky ‘grower champagne’ finesse, but you can expect well made, highly enjoyable wines that will be a perfect pour for any occasion.”
The marrying of affordability and quality is thanks to better wine-making technology and warmer climates (particularly for English sparkling wine from Dorset, Kent and Sussex), but also higher consumer demand. “Consumers are becoming more knowledgeable, more savvy; they can look anything up on the internet,” says Libby Brodie, wine consultant and columnist. This doesn’t just apply to champagne – the supermarkets are brimming with fantastic prosecco, sommelier-approved wines, premium-quality whisky.
Read more: Best supermarket prosecco, from Tesco to M&S
So, when faced with a giant supermarket aisle, where do you start when selecting a fizz? “I personally like to look outside of champagne when it comes to value for money, as even with supermarket own brands, I find you get much more bang for your buck,” says Lucy Hitchcock, the wine influencer behind the @Partnerinwineuk social media account. “To find those hidden gems, look out for words like traditional method, crémant, and method cap classique (MCC) on the label. All of these wines are made in the same way as champagne, often using similar grape blends.”
To narrow down your search further, Hitchcock highlights South Africa for wine-making. “The very best is Graham Beck’s pinot noir rosé 2018/19, which has this richness and depth of flavours that rivals Laurent Perrier rosé.”
Read more: We blind taste-tested supermarket champagnes and crowned a £35 winner
Also offering stellar value for money are regions just outside of Champagne, including Hitchcock’s favourite, crémant from Limoux. “This vintage from Laithwaites is made from champagne grapes but is a fraction of the price of your usual vintage champagnes. Five years ageing for £13.99 on offer is a very good deal indeed.”
Whether you’ve got a special occasion in the calendar or are stocking up for 2026, I’ve asked industry experts to choose their favourite bottles of supermarket champagne and fizz.
Meet the experts
I spoke to qualified wine consultants, TikTok-viral influencers and wine critics to find the best affordable bottles of bubbly to sip in winter 2025.
Libby Brodie is a qualified wine consultant with years of experience in the industry. She is the founder of Bacchus & Brodie Wine Consultancy, which personally curates wine selections for individuals or events.
Lucy Hitchcock is the wine enthusiast behind the @Partnerinwineuk social media account. She has nearly 100k followers on Instagram and 65k on TikTok, with her reviews of Aldi or M&S wines regularly going viral.
Rosamund Hall is a writer, presenter and columnist specialising in wine and spirits. She is The Independent‘s weekly wine columnist with ‘The Wine Down’ and writer of the best rosé wines.
