From Clubcard steals to Aldi specials: The supermarket champagnes giving the region’s most famous houses a run for their money
Bargain bubbles that fizz with taste, from Asda, Aldi, Morrisons and more
In late 2025, the fine wine world was sent into a spin when Aldi’s humble own-brand Champagne bagged the top spot at the prestigious World Champagne Awards. This supermarket sparkler outperformed storied houses like Veuve Clicquot and Bollinger, proving that a high price tag isn't always a prerequisite for high quality.
This seismic shift in the industry serves as definitive proof that you no longer have to splash the cash or hunt for a luxury label to sip some seriously moreish, award-winning fizz. Whether you are prepping for a large celebration or simply fancy a mid-week tipple, the high street is now a legitimate destination for connoisseurs.
To help you navigate the aisles and find the true gems among the duds, we've put together this comprehensive guide to the best supermarket own-brand Champagnes currently on the market — and some expert tips on how to find the bargain bottles.
Four tips to help spot the best bottles
1. All champagnes are not equal
Yes, Champagnes are all produced in one region, but it’s a region with seven different grape varieties and two quality-related classifications: Grand Cru refers to ones produced on vineyards ranked the highest on the AOC scale (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, the designation given to Champagnes, which must be made in the Champagne region while also meeting certain criteria) and Premier Cru is the second-highest tier.
There’s also a huge range of soils featuring different amounts of clay and chalk. All of this affects the finished product, as do processes such as ageing, and the amount of time the bottle spends on its “lees”, which refers to the amount of contact the wine has with the dead yeast cells (sediment), post-fermentation. Tweaking this step can affect texture, aroma and depth.
2. Does bigger always mean better?
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There are several advantages enjoyed by the larger Champagne houses. To start with, their cellars are often much larger (sign up for tours of Moët & Chandon’s cellars, for example, and you’ll learn that they extend to a staggering 28 kilometres). This allows for longer ageing periods but it also enables Champagne houses in Riem, Epernay and other areas of the province to build up more reserve stock. 2021, for example, was a bad year for Champagne due to poor weather, and this had a much bigger impact on smaller Champagne houses. Moët & Chandon’s master blenders, meanwhile, could dig into their reserves to ensure Champagnes made during 2021 tasted just as good as the ones made during previous years.
3. The age factor
The most well-known Champagne houses will often age their Champagnes for several years, while supermarket brands will often age them for the minimum period of time (15 months).
The good news? While we wouldn’t go so far as to celebrate climate change, warmer temperatures have made it easier for supermarkets to produce top quality fizz.
“Rising temperatures and improved techniques in vineyards and wineries help supermarkets obtain higher quality wine with less need for longer ageing, and at better prices,” says Dawn Davies, wine expert at the Whisky Exchange.
“This doesn’t necessarily mean the big brands are overcharging, but it does mean good Champagne can be found at a wider range of prices.”
4. Bottoms up
Our top tip? Remember that you don’t need to be a wine expert to find your favourite Champagne. Simply get drinking – it’s the only way to work out which Champagnes tickle your tastebuds and which don’t. And make notes – especially if the label references a specific vineyard, village or producer. “
If a bottle names a village or vineyard, it usually means more care and intention has gone into it, often resulting in better quality and a more distinctive drinking experience,” says Peter King, head sommelier at the Michelin-starred The Yan at Broadrayne in Grasmere, the Lake District.
“Once you find a village style you like, it’s easy to explore similar wines from other producers in the same area.”
The best supermarket Champagnes
Majestic Wines Nicolas Courtin Brut Champagne
Expect plenty of fizz from this corker from Majestic Wines, produced in collaboration with a Champagne house founded in 1993. Its founder, Nicolas Gueusquin, relied heavily on his long-term relationships with some of the region’s oldest growers to produce this easy-drinking sparkler, which uses Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Notes of green apple and citrus which, paired with its abundance of bubbles, makes this a brilliant choice for celebrating special occasions. There’s a hefty dose of sweetness, but it’s also incredibly easily drinkable, and we’re awarding bonus points for the fact that the label’s top serving suggestion is to “pair it with oysters, baked goats’ cheese… or fish and chips.”
Asda Exceptional by ASDA Champagne Benoît Renaud Blanc de Noirs Brut
Made entirely with black grapes (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier), this fantastic fizz is incredibly well balanced, with an on-point acidity which doesn’t overshadow its gorgeous richness. We loved the initial toasty notes of brioche and biscuits, as well as the fruity aftertaste. Wines with more pronounced acidity pair well with seafood (due to the acidity’s ability to cut through any oiliness while enhancing delicate flavour notes) and this is another fantastic partner for fish dishes.
Morrisons The Best Signature Collection Vintage Champagne
"This Champagne, crafted from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, has undergone extended ageing in the cellar to develop pronounced floral aromas,” says Emma Jenkinson, wine sourcing manager at Morrisons. But don’t just take her word for it – in recent years, Morrison’s has earned major brownie points from the wine world for its range of sparkling wines (including its various award-winning crémants). This particular Champagne might not be the cheapest supermarket offering, but it’s a seriously moreish sparkler, with a delicate blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. We loved its dryness, as well as the floral and biscuity notes – a combination which added a freshness perfectly suited to hot summer days. A side note – we’re suckers for Moët & Chandon, and we struggled to tell the difference between the two in a blind test.
Co-Op Les Pionniers Champagne Non-Vintage
Co-Op has form when it comes to top quality sparkling wines, and awards bagged by its own-brand Champagnes include gold at previous Decanter World Wine Awards. Co-Op didn’t mess around when they launched this own-brand fizz – they joined forces with renowned Champagne house Piper Heidsieck. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay provide a top quality hat trick of grapes which infuse this wallet-friendly, golden fizz with a buttery creaminess alongside a subtle sweetness. Pair it with charcuterie or drink it as an aperitif.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Blanc De Noirs Champagne
Another Champagne made entirely with black grapes (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier), this tipple is all about balance – the initial blast of fresh fruit soon gives way to delicious toasted notes, while the richness and well-balanced acidity add an unexpected complexity which ensuring it’s a Champagne which is still fabulously drinkable. The perfect partner for aperitifs and smoked salmon, it’s another Champagne with a gorgeous label and a bottle you’ll want to display loud and proud. Move over Moët…
Aldi Nicolas de Montbart Champagne Brut
There’s something rather regal about this bottle, with its pure white label framed in gold. And without blowing our own trumpet, if you were wondering what this Champagne tastes like, you’ll be grateful for our review, because the website’s description is absolutely rubbish (read: non-existent). Perhaps Aldi is resting on its laurels – after all, in December 2025 the supermarket had to impose a four-bottle limit per customer on this Champagne due to its popularity. It’s another fizz which uses a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, resulting in a wine which bursts with floral notes, but which is still wonderfully fresh, thanks to its distinct fruitiness. The abundance of soft, creamy bubbles makes this a great option for toasting special occasions.
Aldi Veuve Monsigny Champagne
Expect notes of apples, red fruits, citrus and strawberry when sipping this sparkler, which bagged World's Best Champagne at the World Champagne Awards 2025. Not so keen on cramming your five-a-day into a single bottle? Don’t panic, because toasty brioche notes ensure it’s wonderfully well-balanced, while subtle florals enhance its smoothness and delicacy, albeit with a crisp acidity which ramps up its drinkability.
Marks and Spencer Delacourt Champagne Brut
This M&S champagne uses the same combo of grapes as Coop’s offering (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) although in this case, selected reserve wines were added to ramp up the richness. We were wowed by its creamy smoothness, enhanced by notes of brioche and vanilla, although sparkling notes of apple and peach kept it fresh, lively and very, very moreish. It’s another bottle which bags extra points on account of its tasting notes – in this case, the recommendation that it pairs best with salmon, chicken….and triple-cooked chips.
Waitrose Brut NV Champagne
Waitrose teamed up with top Champagne producer Alexandre Bonnet to create this stone fruit-themed fizz. It’s a house famous for its pinot noir Champagnes, and we loved the way this one’s minerality perfectly complemented its subtle fruitiness. Its cuvée status is another reminder that this is a top quality tipple – cuvée refers to a Champagne made with the first pressing, designed to extract the purest, highest quality juice from the grapes. Oh, and if you’ve always wondered what type of glasses are best for champagne? We got the lowdown from Nicola Hattersley, buying manager at John Lewis. “A tulip shape with its slightly wider flute is best for champagne, as it allows the aroma to build in the glass,” says Nicola. “A traditional flute is perfect for both Champagne and Prosecco – the glass's narrower profile helps maintain the drink's bubbles longer and keeps it cool.”
Waitrose Rosé Champagne Brut NV
We’ll admit it – we were Rosé snobs until now, but Waitrose’s offering has prompted us to ditch the derision. It’s a deliciously fruity Champagne packed with a ripeness stemming from the use of Pinot Noir grapes from the Les Riceys area of Champagne – an area where monks (including Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon, no less) have been producing sparkling wine for centuries. “Grower-producers make small batches from specific sites, so their wines tend to express a real sense of place,” says Peter King at The Yan at Broadrayne, Grasmere. When it comes to the wine pairing? Sip this one with aperitifs, and keep a few extra bottles close to hand for the main course. And dessert….
Tesco Finest Premier Cru Brut Champagne
Tesco claims that a longer ageing process is the secret of this Champagne’s success, which was an instant hit. Everything about it screams elegance – from the fine mousse (bubbles, to you and me) and the wine’s dainty lemon hue, to the way the notes of fresh apple, citrus and brioche all play their part, but never overwhelm. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of this easily-drinkable delight, produced by the region’s Union Champagne, one of the biggest producers of premier and grand cru grapes. A final bit of advice for fans of brut (dry) Champagne? “It’s hard to know how ‘brut’ a brut is when it comes to Champagne,” admits Dawn Davies, wine expert at The Whisky Exchange. “What you do know is that it will be less than 12 grams per litre, but unless this is written on the bottle or website (and it’s not usually) you won’t know. If you prefer drier styles, look for the word “extra” on the label. This means it will have less than six grams per litre.”
Harvey Nichols Premier Cru Brut Champagne NV
Granted, Harvey Nichols might not be a supermarket, but this fabulous bottle of fizz is still significantly cheaper than a bottle of Veuve, Ruinart or Bollinger. This deliciously dry blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes was assembled for Harvey Nichols by Lombard & Medot, a Champagne house founded in 1925 and based in the Champagne region’s town of Épernay, where its neighbours include Perrier-Jouët, Pol Roger and Moët & Chandon. The tasting notes referenced notes of brioche (confirmed) and hazelnut (debatable), but the gorgeous hints of red fruits and florals were our favourite elements, making it another brilliant option for hot summer days. We recommend pairing it with seafood canapés.
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Tamara Hinson is a Shortlist contributor with a soft spot for Asia, mountain biking and snowboarding. Her work has appeared in the Times, Conde Nast Traveller and Wanderlust, and her favourite places include Singapore, Osaka, in Japan, and Tamil Nadu, in India. Her pet hates are selfies and dog backpacks.
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