A SUPERMARKET own-brand Champagne has been crowned Christmas champion – beating rivals including Moët & Chandon in a taste test.
Consumer champion Which? invited a panel of four wine experts to blind-taste a selection of non-vintage Champagnes to uncover the best bubbly.
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The panel included Master of Wine Sam Caporn, Saturday Kitchen star Helen McGinn, as well as MJ Wine Cellars founder Magnavai Janjo and co-chair of the WineGB Awards Susie Barrie.
They sipped nine supermarket Champagnes, priced between £18 and £25, alongside Moët & Chandon.
The winner of the test was Tesco’s Finest Cru Brut Champagne, which scored an impressive 82% in the judges’ test and was awarded a Best Buy endorsement.
Priced at £25, the Champagne impressed with its nutty aroma and fresh, fruity flavours.
And, it beat Moët & Chandon, which is almost twice the price at £44 but scored just 77% in the test.
Aldi’s Veuve Monsigny Premier Cru Brut Champagne also won a Which? Best Buy endorsement, scoring 80% in the judges’ taste test.
It is priced at £22 and impressed with its aroma of crunchy green apples with a suggestion of pecans, spice and butterscotch.
Waitrose’s Brut NV Champagne also scored 80% and was similarly awarded a Best Buy endorsement.
The judges said it had a pleasing blend of peach, pear and apple flavours, and a superb nut and winter spice taste. A bottle will set you back £25.
The taste team also tested sparkling wines, for those looking for a cheaper alternative to Champagne and uncovered some great bargain bottles.
The cheapest tested was Lidl’s Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene, which scored 80% and is just £7.49 a bottle.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Home Products and Services Editor, said: “Millions of people like to toast the festive season with some fizz, and our panel found affordable and delicious options that were dramatically cheaper than alternatives from the big-name champagne houses.
“Our taste tests show that you don’t have to spend over the odds for a supermarket champagne or sparkling wine that delivers on quality and value for money, making it the perfect Christmas tipple.”
It’s worth bearing in mind that the prices quoted here are correct as of November 14, but they could change in the run up to Christmas.
If you’re feeling price sensitive as festive expenses pile in, use a comparison site to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
Trolley.co.uk lets you compare prices on thousands of products across the major supermarkets and filter results from the least to most expensive.
But, remember it doesn’t include prices from some retailers, including Home Bargains and Lidl.
You can also have a quick scan of the internet with the Google Shopping/Product tab to see which retailer has the cheapest price on a specific product too.
Champagne isn’t the only Christmas item Which? has been testing.
It has also tested mince pies with a surprising supermarket crowned best.
It also tried supermarket own-brand Irish cream against Baileys – and the winner wasn’t Aldi or M&S.
In other taste test news, we tried booze advent calendars – the festive winner was just £2 per drink.
Plus, we tested 12 festive sandwiches including Aldi and Starbucks – the winner was a hearty handheld Christmas dinner under £4.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
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