Whether it’s the sound of a popping cork or the sight of bubbles bursting in a glass, champagne is the quintessential New Year’s tipple.
But when it comes to picking the top of the pops, it pays to know what you’re looking for. Plump for any old bottle and you might be left feeling a little flat, not to mention out of pocket.
In a taste test last month, Which? Magazine crowned an own-brand champagne costing £19 from the Co-op as its winner, beating other leading brands costing nearly twice as much. In the same test, the bargain bottle from Spar for £17.50 was dubbed ‘bland’. Turns out some deals really are too good to be true.
So of the hundreds of brands currently on the supermarket shelves, where do you find the best bottles this New Year? Here, Femail’s wine expert Helen McGinn puts the latest supermarket offerings to the test . . .
Fizz favourites
Les Pionniers Brut NV Champagne, now £17.99, Co-op
The secret of really good champagne is in the balance, specifically between the fruit and the acidity (known as freshness). And this one’s really beautifully balanced. Made from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, it’s fantastically fresh with citrusy fruit flavours, a hint of honey and long-lasting, gentle bubbles. Fizz on top form.★★★★★
Les Pionniers Brut NV Champagne, now £17.99, Co-op
Abel Charlot Champagne Brut NV, £17, Marks & Spencer
This isn’t just champagne. This is a gorgeous, elegant champagne with light, lemony flavours, just-right toastiness and a delicate nutty character. Made from a blend of the three classic champagne grapes — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this has got a fair amount of reserve wine (a blend from previous years) in it, adding wonderful weight and flavour. Classy — and amazing value.
★★★★✩
Abel Charlot Champagne Brut NV, £17, Marks & Spencer
Comte de Senneval Champagne Brut NV 75cl, now £9.99, Lidl
The packaging is as slick as the champagne inside the bottle. Lemony with a touch of crushed digestive biscuits, it’s a relatively light take on champagne, but at this price I’m not complaining. Made from a blend of the three classic champagne grapes, there’s a touch of creaminess to it too, so it’s not too cheek-suckingly crisp. A proper crowd-pleaser. ★★★✩✩
Comte de Senneval Champagne Brut NV 75cl, now £9.99, Lidl
Les Pionniers Vintage Champagne 2012, £26.99, Co-op
When you buy a vintage champagne rather than a bottle of (usually cheaper) non-vintage, you’re buying something made from grapes harvested in one particular year. And because weather conditions vary from year to year, so vintage champagnes vary in style from one vintage to another. It was a fantastic year in 2012 and this particular offering is a knockout, a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir aged for four years in the bottle before being released. A relative bargain.
★★★★★
Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2009, £34.99, Waitrose
This one’s got everything going for it — it’s made from grapes from top quality ‘grand cru’ vineyards, a great vintage and in the elegant Blanc de Blancs style, meaning it contains only the Chardonnay grape. In this bottle, it all comes together very neatly indeed. Rich, round and biscuity, this would cost a lot more if it had a big name on the label. ★★★★✩
Andre Carpentier Brut NV, now £10, Tesco
Another great under-the-radar fizz, this is one for those who like their wines on the creamy, rather than the very crisp, side. There’s a lovely lemon meringue pie character to it, with a light, floral note. It’s easy to miss on the shelf with its simple, understated label, but what’s inside is great value.
★★★✩✩
Andre Carpentier Brut NV, now £10, Tesco
Waitrose Blanc de Noirs Brut NV, £22.99
This being a Blanc de Noirs, it’s made only from red grapes. In this case, it’s 100 per cent Pinot Noir from the Aube region in the south of Champagne. And it’s so good, ripe and round with red fruit flavours and a hit of just-popped toast. There’s a touch of the savoury fifth taste, umami, too.
★★★★✩
Waitrose Blanc de Noirs Brut NV, £22.99
Charles Lecouvey NV Brut Reserve, £15.99 (reduced from £23.99), Waitrose
The name might not be a big hitter but this is another great bargain as champagne goes. A classic blend of the three Champagne grapes, this one’s relatively light in style with crisp, citrus flavours and a subtle hint of marzipan. And it looks far more expensive than it is. ★★★★✩
Veuve Monsigny 2011 Blanc de Blancs, £19.99, Aldi
Bypass the disappointing non-vintage version of this wine and pick up a vintage bargain instead. This is a smart wine made from the Chardonnay grape, with lemony fruits, a hint of brioche and a fine mousse (in other words, good bubbles). ★★★✩✩
Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne, £19
This one’s been a little off-form in recent years but now it’s back with a bang, or rather a pop. It’s made by a great producer in the grand cru village of Avize from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. It gets a bit of extra time to age in the cellars, allowing the lemon biscuit flavours to develop into something lovely. ★★★★✩
... And those that fall flat
Veuve Monsigny NV, now £9.99, Aldi
It might be the cheapest in the line-up but, as is so often the case, you really do get what you pay for. There’s an unripe, green edge to the aromas (think unwanted nettles) and the flavours lack freshness and character. A real shame; I’ve tasted much better bottles of this particular brand in the past.
NO STARS
Veuve Monsigny NV, now £9.99, Aldi
Extra Special Premier Cru Champagne Brut, £19, Asda
The thin wire cage (or muselet as it’s called) covering the cork on this bottle broke when I tried to remove it. Not a good sign, as it turns out. The champagne inside was rather too sharp, with a distinct lack of fruit or appealing freshness to it. Thank you, next. HIIII
n Helen’s new book Homemade Cocktails: The Essential Guide To Making Great Cocktails, Infusions, Syrups, Shrubs And More is out now (£10.99, Robinson).
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https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/femails-guide-to-the-best-and-worst-of-the-bubbly/
News Pictures FEMAIL'S guide to the best (and worst) of the bubbly
You don’t have to pack away your bikini just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!
TEENS
Hayden Panettiere
Size: 8
Age: 18
Height: 5ft 1in
Weight: 8st
To achieve her kick-ass figure, Hayden – who plays cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes – follows the ‘quartering’ rule. She eats only a quarter of the food on her plate, then waits 20 minutes before deciding whether she needs to eat again.
Hayden says: “I don’t have a model’s body, but I’m not one of those crazy girls who thinks that they’re fat. I’m OK with what I have.”
Nicollette says: “I don’t like diets – I see it, I eat it! I believe in eating healthily with lots of protein, vegetables and carbs to give you energy.”
kim cattrall
Size: 10-12
Age: 52
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 9st 4lb
SATC star Kim swears by gym sessions with Russian kettle bells (traditional cast-iron weights) and the South Beach Diet to give her the body she wants. To avoid overeating, Kim has a radical diet trick – squirting lemon juice on her leftovers – so she won’t carry on picking.
Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/29/01/7917946-0-image-a-3_1546046260718.jpg
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