Do you find prosecco a bit passé? Here are some alternatives...

Happy first of December: Father Christmas is dusting off the sleigh, the reindeer are limbering up and corks are popping – ladies and gentlemen, the sparkling season has officially started!

But with the cost of pretty much everything feeling so damn high, enjoying a fountain tower of free-flowing coupes of champagne sadly just doesn’t seem possible this party season. However, there is a wonderful effervescent alternative – and it doesn’t begin with the letter P.

Like many of my friends, I used to love prosecco, but I just grew so tired of it. I still enjoy the more premium and traditional prosecco, which remains a real treat, but sadly I wasn’t drinking those. It was all about flutes of cheaper prosecco, which used to entice me with their easy-going, fresh-as-a-daisy and sweet-as-a-cupcake charm. You know: the ones available in pubs and bars with a sky-high mark-up.

However, as with so many things, my tastes changed and I wanted something more: I wanted champagne. Unfortunately, my desires were not accompanied by a compliant bank balance, so I was deeply grateful for the discovery of crémant (meaning “creamy” in French). With less overt sweetness than prosecco and greater similarity to the flavour spectrum of champagne, I knew I’d found a friend for life.

It should come as no surprise that the nation that gave birth to champagne is also responsible for a widely available budget alternative. And, while it’s not something we have historically seen much of on British supermarket shelves, that has changed in recent years.

In the UK, we are consuming more crémant than ever, with all the major supermarkets reporting a major surge in sales. Sophie Hogg, category director for beers, wines and spirits at Sainsbury’s, said before the autumn/winter season that they expected crémant sales to grow “20 per cent year on year”. Waitrose’s buyer for champagne and sparkling, Alexandra Mawson, recently said: “We have never seen crémant sales as big as they are at the moment.”

I fully appreciate that it can be a little confusing, as there are lots of crémants out there. In fact, there are eight French regions producing crémant: Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Die, Jura, Limoux, Loire and Savoie – who wants to join me on a road trip tour of them all?

But please do not let the variety of names put you off: believe me, the range of choice and variety is a good thing. Such a large number of regions producing it means a wonderful roster of grape varieties. Why not try them all?

Also, unlike with prosecco, crémant is made in exactly the same way as champagne. prosecco undergoes its secondary fermentation (that’s the bit that makes the bubbles), in large stainless steel tanks, and is bottled immediately after to preserve the fresh, primary fruit flavours.

Both champagne and crémant use the “traditional method”. That means secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle and it is then aged for a further nine months or more on its lees (deposits of dead yeast that are far tastier than they sound). This process allows it to develop more nuanced aromas and flavours beyond just fruit: think warm, cream-filled brioche and apricot Danish pastry alongside primary flavours of citrus and apples.

Now, you never need a reason to pop open a bottle of bubbly, but if you did, December would be the time to do it. We all need to find reasons to celebrate and Christmas, whether it is your vibe or not, is a great one. So here’s my pick of the créme de la crémant to swap out when you fancy something different to prosecco:

Taste the Difference Crémant de Limoux NV, France

£12 Sainsbury’s (currently £11 with Nectar) 12% abv

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Made by a reputable producer, Paul Mas, this is a well-made and delicious wine. Think pear drops and peach-filled Danish pastry – it has great acidity and creamy, soft bubbles. Dom Perignon might be attributed as the one who discovered the art of sparkling wine, but the monks in the monasteries of Limoux believe they got there first. Either way, the sparkles from Limoux are just lovely.

Crémant du Jura, Domaine Jean-Louis Tissot NV, France

£18.50, Yapp Brothers 12.5% abv

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Made by a small family domaine in the wild and beautiful region of the Jura, in eastern France, this sparkling wine is made from 100 per cent Chardonnay, so is closer in style to champagne – if that’s what you’re after. I am entranced by the gorgeous aromas of lemon curd and buttered toast alongside a whiff of toasted almonds, which are all wrapped up with vibrant acidity. A very classy glass.

Specially Selected Crémant De Loire NV, France

£8.99, Aldi (in-store only) 12% abv

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Crémant de Loire is one of the most famous crémants in France, leaning heavily on the wonderful chenin blanc grape, and I love it. This expression is like biting into a fresh, crisp green apple and enjoying a lick of uplifting citrus too. and the lively bubbles are just perfect for a party.

Louis Vallon Crémant De Bordeaux Blanc De Noirs NV, France

£14.75 (£12.50 with Nectar) Sainsbury’s, 12% abv

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Bordeaux might be famed for its red wines, but the region also produces delicious white, sweet and sparkling wines. The “Blanc de Noirs” on the label refers to it being made out of red grapes (merlot and cabernet franc), but as the juice spent no time with the skins, it has the visual appearance of a white wine. It is elegant, with fresh raspberries, ripe citrus and a warm, butter croissant cuddle. It has a wonderful depth of flavour, racy acidity and persistent bubbles, and the bottle looks rather smart, too!