With summer in full swing, we don’t need much of an excuse to pop open the bubbly.
And we Brits are not ones for airs and graces, as less expensive prosecco overtook the more indulgent champagne as our favourite fizz in 2015.
The average price of many sparkling wines has shot up in the past year, after duty was raised. But there’s still plenty of choice in stores.
From Aldi to Waitrose, we tested the best of the bottles you can buy for less than £10...
Co-op Irresistible Prosecco
£8, Co-Op
Says it’s irresistible.
Verdict: Sadly, I’m not persuaded. Co-op’s own-brand fizz came up short compared to the rest and, again, it tasted a tad bitter to me. But if you’re not keen on sweet prosecco, this is a good one for you. I found it too dry and hard to swallow – so after two sips I’d say it wasn’t quite irresistible enough.
5/10
Corte Molino Prosecco
£8.50, Co-Op
Prosecco, extra dry.
Verdict: It might look a bit basic, like the description, but I was impressed with this one. It’s not overwhelmingly fizzy and has some really nice fruity flavours.
It’s light and very easy to drink – so perfect to share with a friend.
8/10
Cremant de Loire
£7.99, Lidl
Brut sparkling wine.
Verdict: This did exactly what it said on the bottle and it’s easy to see why it was named one of the best in the world a couple of years ago. Full of fruity flavours, this sparkling wine proves why you don’t need to spend a fortune on fizz.
Lidl says its Cremant is becoming increasingly popular due to its “champagne-like dry, biscuity yet zesty finish to the sparkling wine – often more effervescent than Prosecco.”
9/10
Finest Prosecco
£7, Tesco
Elegant with a lingering finish, full of citrus and pear flavours with peach blossom aromas.
Verdict: You can really taste the fruity pear flavours in this prosecco and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, it’s perfect.
Plus it had plenty of bubbles. Not quite up there with the very best but close enough for most of us.
8/10
Mas Miralda Cava Rosado
£7 (was £9), Asda
Vintage cava made from grapes grown in a particularly good year. Fruity and full-bodied style of cava.
Verdict: Asda’s Extra Special rosé is full of fizz but this dry cava left a bitter taste in my mouth. It’s a good thing it was reduced to £7, because for £9 there are much nicer bottles on offer.
5/10
Organic Prosecco
£7.99, Aldi
Grapes used for this prosecco result in an intense nose of pear and green apple, following by aromas of acacia flowers and honeycomb.
Verdict: While my, erm, expert palate didn’t catch the honeycomb or acacia flower, this is bursting with peachy fruit flavours and hit the spot. It goes down easily and the bottle looks great too. Aldi also claims it’s “hangover-free” because it contains lower levels of sulphite preservatives, though I’ll leave it to you to put that to the test...
9/10
Prosecco Asolo Brut
£8, Asda
Fragrant and fruity, with crisp green apples and a silky mousse.
Verdict: You can taste the peachy flavours in Asda’s Extra Special fizz but, again, compared to its competitors it tasted a little flat, so wasn’t quite a winner for me.
6/10
Rose-Spumante
£5.79, Aldi
A classic and elegant Italian rosé sparkling wine. Intense summer fruits, pears and citrus freshness.
Verdict: Expectations for this one were pretty low due to the price and I was also sceptical about the pale colour... But I was seriously surprised. This rosé smelt extremely sweet when I cracked it open but was actually very easy to drink. For the price, it’s an absolute bargain and went down a treat.
8/10
Taste the Difference Conegliano Prosecco
£8 (was £10), Sainsbury’s
Fresh and vibrant, delicious apricot and citrus flavours.
Verdict: This is a crowd-pleaser. The Taste the Difference range is usually a safe choice. It’s dry and fruity, perfect for a special occasion. Plus the bottle looks much fancier than it actually is.
7/10
Vecchi Modena Pignoletto
£9.99, Waitrose
Delicious sparkling white from Emilia, Central Italy. With aromas of jasmine and fresh peach, and flavours of grapey, tropical fruit.
Verdict: At the higher end of the budget, though there’s not a great deal of bubbly at Waitrose for less than a tenner. Pignoletto is one of the lesser-known sparkling wines but I’m sold. It’s softer than prosecco, so is a lovely light drink to enjoy in summer. I didn’t quite get the jasmine but it’s definitely packed with fruity flavours.
8/10
