14 best sparkling wines to celebrate with this Christmas (and beyond)

This absolute dream of a champagne has taken the world by storm ever since Ludovic du Plessis took the reins in 2020. Produced from a blend of seven vintages, this liquid gold is so full of flavour, it’s easy to see why it has captured the heart of champagne lovers.

Interestingly, there’s more pinot meunier (53 per cent) than chardonnay (31 per cent) and pinot noir (16 per cent), which is something you don’t see a lot of. A stunning nose of toffee apple, toasted almonds and pear tart meets flavours of pear crumble, fresh custard and lemon meringue.

Ludovic’s vision backed by a house with over 111 years of history and some sensational reserve champagnes makes it one of the best bottles for your money. Our advice is get it now before more people find out.

For just over a tenner, it doesn’t get much better than this. Created in exactly the same way as champagne but with different grape varieties, Crémant is the perfect option if you want to save the pennies without compromising on taste. 

Expect fresh apples, creamy peach, ripe raspberries and sharp gooseberries.

Isn’t it great when quantity doesn’t affect quality? That’s the case for England’s largest wine producer. Perfecting its craft since 2001, Chapel Down has become known worldwide for putting our home-grown fizz on the map.

While its brut is spectacular, today we’re paying a nod to the pink stuff. Two and a half years ageing has allowed this to become one of the most expressive rosés on offer, bursting with fresh raspberries, wild strawberry, redcurrants and an indulgent lemon rind shortbread.

If it’s good enough for Churchill, it’s good enough for us. After meeting Odette Pol Roger at a luncheon in Paris hosted by the British Ambassador, the two struck up an immediate friendship. Every year for his birthday, Odette would send Churchill a case of vintage bubbles. After his death, the champagne house vouched to create a bottle in his tribute, a ritual that has continued to this very day.

Created only during exceptional years, the 2015 vintage offers fresh bread, hazelnuts, lemon meringue and pear brioche on the nose, with velvety peach and apricot, zesty lemon tart and a hint of minerality on the palate.

The USA may not be your first thought when it comes to sparkles, but this Californian wonder is definitely giving champagne a run for its money.

The sunshine state is home to some of the best pinot noir and chardonnay on the planet, so if you throw a little pinot meunier into the mix as well, you’re destined for one tasty sipper. Almonds and gingersnaps meet strawberry, cherry and raspberry. Smooth yet refreshing!

We’ll be honest, prosecco doesn’t usually do it for us. But this one really does. While it may cost you more than you’re used to with this wine style, it more than makes up for it in taste.

Prosecco can often be quite one dimensional and lack flavour (hence the cheap prices), but Della Vite is the polar opposite. Pineapple, toasted almonds and vanilla cream jump out of the glass with a vibrant granny smith apple, honey and citrus cookie with each sip.

Undeniably one of the best bubbles in the world, cristal offers opulence, wonder and so much taste, you wish the bottle would never end. White peach and plum meet hazelnut and toasted almond. The taste is textured, complex and vibrant all in one. One second, you’re experiencing buttery pastry and the next a candied citrus. In sum, “Wow”.

We once told the Chief Winemaker of this iconic house that his champagne goes really well with KFC. We don’t think he’ll forget that moment. We know it’s true, though.

Here we have one of the few remaining champagne houses that is still owned and run by the name on the bottle. After falling in love with the region while he was stationed there during the First World War, Pierre Taittinger returned in 1931, purchased land and that was it. Almost a century later, here we are.

One of the darkest rosé expressions available due to the 15 per cent still pinot noir used within the blend, this beauty showcases wild raspberry, cherry, blackcurrant and crisp red fruits. Perfect for all occasions.

Pommery has been producing champagnes for almost two centuries after planting its roots in 1836. It was in 1858 when things got really interesting. After the death of her husband, Madame Pommery took the reins and throughout the course of her life built a collection of some of the finest vineyards in Champagne.

To this day each bottle of royal brut is aged 30m underground for a minimum of three years to maximise taste. Think buttered French toast with lemon and honey biscuits, fresh apples and fresh citrus.

Ridgeview has been producing world-class wine since 1995 and has built a solid reputation for itself within the English wine scene. Its rosé is a particular triumph, produced from chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, and it’s a thirst-quenching dream.

Think strawberry, redcurrant and red cherries with citrus sherbet, agave treacle and a creamy zingy finish. It works perfectly with food and is an absolute go-to for brunches.

Imagine if a great-quality prosecco and Provencal rosé had a secret love child. Well, that’s what this is. Made using the charmat method (how you create prosecco), la folie is super fragrant and undeniably charming.

With négrette, colombard, syrah and grenache, you can expect peach, apricot and pineapple with a zesty burst of lemon and orange. Honestly, it’s the perfect crowd-pleaser and the bottle is adorable.

It’s not that often you find a champagne crafted from entirely pinot noir, and this new release is a beautiful example of when it really works. The grapes are sourced from four grand cru areas before spending three years on lees to create a super complex tasting experience.

Bright golden copper in colour you can expect rose petals, pink grapefruit and spicy black pepper on the nose, with a silky black cherry, kumquat and peach slice upon tasting. This is the ideal sparkling wine for those who love a big, juicy red.

This fizz is more than just a pretty face. Armand de Brignac hails from 13 generations of the Cattier family, who have owned vines in the region since 1625. While it may look extravagant on the outside, make no mistake, the liquid within is just as stunning. This marriage of three vintages is blended with matured wines that have been aged in oak barrels to offer even more flavour.

Indulgently creamy and with layers of texture, you can expect peach brioche, apple Danish pastry and violets, with zesty citrus, almonds and honeyed pineapple.

This, the finest cuvée of the Piper-Heidsieck house, is rather rare indeed. Vintages are only produced during exceptional years, and since 1976 there have only been 12 released.

This chardonnay-dominant blend offers rich, white flower notes with black tea, kiwi and a kiss of honey and vanilla spice. Take a sip and unearth marzipan, smoky toffee Danish pastry and a creamy lemon zest.

Being aged on the lees for a minimum of eight years gives this expression a tremendous texture, depth and richness that is so hard to replicate.