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journalism → support → readers
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we → purchase → commission
There’s something about Champagne’s vibrantly fresh fruitiness so elegantly combined with an oaky, bready complexity that scratches an itch for luxurious sipping in a way Prosecco just can’t.
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Prosecco → ’ → way
Indulging in a glass can spark real joy, yet we often only consider Champagne as a rare treat due to its extravagant pricing.
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we → indulge → pricing
But what if I told you there is some incredible value to be found, even on the tightest of budgets
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I → tell → budgets
I’ve spoken with Champagne experts across the country and scoured retailers to find the best bargains for under £50.
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I → speak → 50
Only those bottles that deliver an exceptional price to flavour ratio have been included, but surprisingly there’s actually a lot of choice.
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that → deliver → choice
Here are 12 bottles of the best Champagnes for under £50 ranging from non-vintage cuvées by prestige maisons, to rosés, blanc de noirs and incredible vintage blanc de blancs from your average supermarket.
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bottles → range → supermarket
Some Champagnes are made using techniques that enhance a creamy texture, bready notes and subtle hints of vanilla and oak, while others forgo them to focus on the grapes’ natural fruit flavours.
While it’s common to believe all Champagne is made the same, styles actually vary somewhat between producers.
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styles → make → producers
I find some people love the bright, floral and fruit-forward Champagnes, while others prefer to get deep into the bready, yeasty aromas that come with long ageing, so just go with whichever style you prefer.
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you → find → style
A short guide to Champagne terms
Non-vintage: a blend of wines from multiple years
Vintage: contains only wine from a single year
Blanc de Blancs: Champagne made with only white grapes, i.e. Chardonnay
Blanc de Noirs: Champagne made with only black grapes but without extracting any red colour from the skins, i.e. Pinot Noir and Meunier
Rosé: Champagne made with white and/or black grapes with colour extraction from the skins to impart flavour and a pink hue
How I taste-tested
All wines were chilled before tasting, with only one bottle removed from the fridge at a time to ensure they remained cool.
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they → contain → time
I nosed and tasted from an elegant white wine glass that’s also designed for sparkling wines and chilled reds, to maximise the aromatics on the nose.
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that → nose → nose
The glass was rinsed between samples with only water to cleanse my palate as well.
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glass → rinse → palate
After nosing and tasting, all samples were spat to avoid intoxication affecting my judgement – this is the standard for all wine and spirit tasting competitions.
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this → nose → competitions
What we love: Incredible complexity and balance for the price, rare Pinot Noir-led blend, and female-founded Champagne house, and female cellar master
Take note:
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So good you’ll only drink Henriot from now on
Widely regarded by the industry’s top palates, Champagne Henriot has a reputation for producing top quality wines to savour.
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Henriot → drink → wines
A rare Pinot Noir-led blend of more than 25 crus from the finest vineyards in Cote des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, the Champagne spends more than four years ageing, giving it distinctive aromas of freshly-baked bread alongside stewed apples, pears, lemon peel and a touch of oak.
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Champagne → lead → oak
It’s also indulgently creamy, with a memorably long finish.
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It → ’ → finish
Henriot Souverain’s complexity and depth represents incredible value for money.
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complexity → represent → money
Tesco Finest Vintage Champagne 2019
★★★★☆
Best: Affordable Champagne
What we love: Vintage Champagne at NV prices, and lovely complexity of flavours
Take note:
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we → love → note
Not quite as refined as pricier bottles
Although a little rough around the edges, Tesco’s 2019 vintage blanc de blancs is probably my favourite of the current supermarket Champagnes for its toasty breadiness balanced against a citrusy-bright acidity.
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blancs → balance → acidity
Its aromatic notes of orange blossom and lemon give way to a creamy palate of apricots, honey and lightly toasted bread.
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notes → give → apricots
It’s incredible to find a vintage Grand Cru Champagne at this price.
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It → ’ → price
Perrier Jouët Grand Brut NV
★★★★★
Best: Champagne for pairing with creamy pasta or white fish
What we love: Its enchantingly delicate floral character, and light freshness that lasts
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that → pair → character
Take note: It slides just over the £50 budget
If you can spare the extra £1 over budget
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you → take → budget
One of the region’s most prominent and respected Champagne houses, Perrier Jouët’s signature style encapsulates fresh and floral aromas: think orange blossom and aromatic honey.
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style → encapsulate → blossom
Its Grand Brut NV is indicative of this style, emanating fresh lemon, jasmine and green apple with sweet yellow plums and melon on the palate alongside a kiss of vanilla cream and oak.
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NV → emanate → cream
It has a gorgeously fine mousse (texture of the bubbles) which carries that iconic floral note throughout.
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which → have → note
What we love: Vintage Champagne at NV prices, and ripe fruity notes of peaches and citrus
Take note: Double check the vintage on the label
If you prefer your Champagne to be more fruit-forward than bready, give M&S’ Delacourt Blanc de Blancs a try.
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Champagne → love → try
This 2017 vintage, made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes, is bursting with ripe stonefruit and orange zest, with a buttery, flaky pastry note reminiscent of peach cobbler.
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vintage → make → cobbler
With its gorgeously creamy texture, it’s incredibly moreish, and at just £35 for a vintage Champagne, you may well be tempted to reach for another bottle.
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you → ’ → bottle
I also recently tasted the 2018 vintage but buy a bottle of this if you like more complexity for your money.
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you → taste → money
Sainsbury's Blanc de Noirs Brut NV
★★★★☆
Best: Champagne for New Year’s Eve celebrations
What we love: Delicious range of ripe fruit flavours, and zesty and bright palate
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love → love → flavours
Take note: It’s an easy sipper – there’s not a huge amount of depth
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It → take → depth
Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs uses the two black grapes used to make Champagne – Pinot Noir and Meunier, for its classic non-vintage expression, which is aged in bottle for at least 18 months.
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which → use → months
This is a lively, fruity number with a gorgeous nose full of strawberries and cream, and lime zest, which gives way to peach melba, stewed apples and a hint of digestive biscuit on the palate.
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which → give → palate
Best suited to those who aren’t keen on the more bready styles of Champagne, and would make an impressive pour at a special party or New Year’s celebration.
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who → make → party
Waitrose Blanc de Noirs Brut NV
★★★☆☆
Best: Everyday Champagne
What we love: Ripe flavours of strawberries and raspberries, lingering biscuity finish
Take note: It’s not particularly expressive
Waitrose’s Blanc de noirs is a red fruit-driven wine produced from 100 per cent Pinot Noir grapes exclusively for the supermarket by respected Champagne house Maison Bonnet.
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noirs → love → Bonnet
It opens on juicy raspberries and strawberries, with a hint of kiwi and lime, before delivering a rich note of shortcake biscuits that lingers on the finish.
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that → open → finish
The flavours are wonderful, although you may find the nose and palate aren’t particularly expressive or complex.
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nose → find → ?
…and 34 more, not listed.
The Aporia
