Tesco, Aldi and Waitrose champagne have all beaten a luxury brand in the latest Which? Christmas taste test.
Tesco Finest Premier Cru Brut Champagne, which costs £25, was crowned the overall winner with a score of 82% and a Which? Best Buy accolade. This champagne impressed the judges with its "inviting nutty aroma and fresh, fruity flavours".
Aldi also won praise from the panel for its Veuve Monsigny Premier Cru Brut Champagne, which is slightly cheaper at £22. The judges said this fizz had an "aroma of crunchy green apples with a suggestion of pecans, spice and butterscotch". Aldi scored 80% and also won a Best Buy endorsement.
Waitrose’s Brut NV Champagne was also awarded a Best Buy endorsement and at £25, the bubbly received a score of 80% for its "pleasing peach, pear and apple flavours, and a superb nut and winter spice taste". All these supermarket champagnes beat Moët & Chandon which is almost twice the price at £44 and scored 77% in the Which? taste test.
For a cheaper alternative to champagne, Which? also tested sparkling wines. The cheapest of these, Lidl’s Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene, scored 80%. At £7.49 a bottle, this Great Value option was described as "an excellent alternative to champagne, and perfect for Christmas parties".
The consumer champion asked a panel of four independent wine experts to blind-taste a selection of non-vintage champagnes to uncover the best bubbly. 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 comes after Which? also revealed the best and worst mince pies for Christmas. Waitrose No.1 Brown Butter Mince Pies with Cognac came out on top for their "lovely pastry, an enticing aroma and generous nut, spice and citrus filling, with a subtle boozy warmth". These cost £4 for six, or 67p per pie, and were awarded the Which? Best Buy recommendation.
Aldi Specially Selected Mince Pies also impressed the judges with their "great buttery taste, snowflake design and tasty filling packed with fruit and spices". These were one of the cheapest on test, at £2.29 for six or 38p per pie, and also earned Which? Great Value endorsement.