10 best champagnes to stock up for Valentine's Day
Ensure a glass of chilled champagne is on standby in the lead up to Valentine's Day, with our expert-approved guide to the best bubbles. Because let's face it, if any day demands bubbles, it’s this loved-up event on 14th February. Don’t want to spend big? No problem. We’ve found the best supermarket champagnes, and they start from just £13.99 a bottle!
Alternatively, you may decide prosecco, cava or English sparkling wine are the way to go. And don't forget the non-drinkers, with our round-up of the best non-alcoholic fizz, non-alcoholic wine and alcohol-free spirits. Don’t worry, we’ve tested them all.
How we test champagne
To find the best champagne, our panel of WSET-trained experts and consumers tried 31 bottles, selecting the best buys from the leading supermarkets and brands. They were looking for a well-balanced, easy-drinking fizz, packed with smooth bubbles and a lasting finish.
So, if you’re looking to stock up, or treat that special someone, these are the very best champagne deals for 2025.
Veuve Monsigny Champagne Premier Cru Brut
Score: 85/100
Aldi consistently delivers excellent wine at frankly incredible prices. This bottle was a clear favourite with our panel, and displays notes of refreshing lemon, decadent brioche and a touch of minerality.
You may want to stock up, as we can see this disappearing all too quickly...
£19.99 at Aldi (in-store only)
Comte de Senneval Champagne Brut
Score: 82/100
Lidl’s fruit-forward fizz opens with zippy lemon curd, a touch of vanilla, and a slight honeyed sweetness on the finish. Our panel found it very pleasant and well-balanced, with gentle bubbles that will appeal to all.
£13.99 at Lidl (in-store only)
Taste the Difference Brut Champagne
Score: 79/100
Our testers were drawn in by the enticing bouquet of peaches and cream and sweet honeysuckle, but they soon discovered that it’s much crisper on the palate. White grapefruit, stone fruit and bracing lemon acidity make this a refreshing choice for important toasts. Cheers!
Collection St Gall Champagne Brut
Score: 78/100
This elegant champagne is part of Marks & Spencer’s premium Collection range and is a blend of “Premier Cru” classified chardonnay and pinot noir grapes.
Testers described it as “buttery and rich” — likening it to vanilla biscuits — with a complex fruit profile of tart green apple, lemon, gooseberry and apricot.
Blanc de Noirs Brut
Score: 78/100
Made exclusively from pinot noir grapes, this blanc de noir is deliciously aromatic with notes of creamy peach, honeysuckle and lemon. Testers enjoyed the delicate bubbles and touch of biscuit on the finish, suggesting it would make a great pairing for smoked salmon blinis.
Selection Champagne Brut
Score: 76/100
A glass of this vibrant fizz would go very nicely with your Valentine's Day feast, with its bright floral aromatics, creamy bubbles and velvety smooth finish. It’s an elegant little number, with a real uplifting freshness in each sip.
Les Pionniers Non Vintage Champagne
Score: 75/100
When you consider that Co-op's champagne is made by Piper Heidseick (which sells its own fizz for around £45), you’ll appreciate that this bottle more than justifies its price tag. With juicy apricot, toasted brioche and refreshing citrus – it's sure to get any romantic evening off to a great start.
Champagne Gruet Selection Brut
Score: 74/100
Biscuit and brioche dominate the nose on this classic, house-style champagne. However, there’s a step-change on the palate, which delivers sharp citrus, making this fizz better suited to those who prefer a fruity champagne.
The Best Brut Premier Cru Champagne
Score: 73/100
An enjoyable combination of ripe peach and gentle honeysuckle, Morrisons’ light and refreshing fizz is an upbeat drop that avoids being too cloying. The big bubbles and a pronounced tart note make this a good pairing for shellfish canapés. Ooh la la!
Finest Premier Cru Brut Champagne
Score: 73/100
Made with grapes taken from the prestigious “Premier Cru” region of Champagne, this fizz is a welcome balance of juicy peach and buttered toast. Testers found it a touch sweet, yet complex, with smooth, velvety bubbles.
Champagne explained
The world of champagne can be confusing, with a minefield of descriptions and terminology — so here’s a quick summary.
Champagne — a French sparkling wine, from the Champagne region of France.
Non vintage (NV) vs vintage (V) champagne — Non vintage champagne is most common and means that the champagne consists of a blend of wines made from grapes harvested in various years. Best consumed within three to five years of bottling, the idea is to create a consistent “house style” that tastes the same, year on year.
Vintage champagne, however, is only made in years where the champagne house feels the wine will be unique and exceptional. These champagnes can be aged for 10+ years after bottling, with some of the finest examples ageing for decades.
Blanc de blancs vs blanc de noirs — Champagne can only be produced from three grape varieties: chardonnay (a white grape), pinot noir (a black grape) and pinot meunier (also a black grape).
Blanc de blancs means the champagne has been made purely from chardonnay, while blanc de noirs refers to styles created with either pinot noir or pinot meunier grapes (or both).
Generally, blanc de blancs champagne tends to be lighter, floral and citrus-filled in style, while blanc de noirs are richer and more full-bodied (you may find you pick up delicate red fruit characteristics).
Rosé champagne — Made using a blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, rosé champagne can range in colour from pale blush to salmon pink. You should expect fresh summer fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and cherries, effervescent bubbles and sometimes a touch of brioche.
Champagne food pairings
The best champagnes pair perfectly with seafood canapés or smoked salmon starters. It also makes an excellent accompaniment to light and creamy poultry-based dishes.
Champagne is best served between 8-10ºC in a champagne flute, as the shape helps accentuate the aromas and bubbles. To enjoy your fizz over a few days, invest in a champagne bottle stopper to retain the bubbles.
Best champagne cocktails and recipes
Make your champagne go even further with these tried, tested and trusted recipes from the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team.
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