Cheap Champagnes You Should Always Buy

Champagne is a word and a concept that has come to symbolize living the high life — even the Miller product of the same name goes by the sobriquet "Champagne of beers." If you are quite literally seeking to satisfy your champagne tastes on a beer budget, though, you need not limit yourself to Milwaukee's finest. As any restaurant serving bottomless mimosas can assure you, there are plenty of bargain-basement Champagnes — or rather, "champagnes" (a.k.a. sparkling wines) — on the market. The problem with many of these, though, is that they really need a hefty dose of orange juice to make them palatable.

Don't despair over finding drinkable budget-priced bubbly, though! There are quite a few inexpensive brands available on the market, some of these domestically produced, while others are imported from places ranging from Spain to South Africa. Believe it or not, there are even a few true capital-C Champagnes, ones that have earned that coveted Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, whose price tags won't break the bank.

Cava, as Borrasca Wines informs us, is Spain's answer to champagne. Cava is the Spanish word for cave, and this type of sparkling wine is, in fact, aged in stone cellars meant to provide a cave-like atmosphere. While this style of wine has yet to achieve the popularity of French or Italian sparklers, the upside is that Cavas are still available at low prices.

Borrasca's Cava is available in both white and rosé versions, but we're particularly fond of the latter. It's a brut style, meaning it is on the dry side, but it has sweet, fruity notes. Among the different flavors you may detect as you sip are strawberries, citrus, peach, pear, fig, watermelon, apple, raspberry, and cranberry as well as a slightly floral note. (Rose petals, perhaps?) It's also extra-bubbly, as a sparkling wine ought to be. Total Wine gives Borrasca Cava Rosé a 4.3-star rating at the time of writing and prices it at just $9.99 — you can't ask for a better bargain than that!

While something called "Château Frank" might sound like a dirt cheap fortified wine that you'd sip out of a brown paper bag, it's actually the name of one of the New York Finger Lakes region's premier wineries (via the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance). Château Frank's Célèbre Crémant is unusual in that it is made from the Riesling grapes typically used in the Rhine wine known by that appellation. Rieslings are typically still wines, and it's not too often that you'll see a sparkling one.

Wine Enthusiast rates Château Frank Célèbre Crémant Riesling a more-than-respectable 88, praising its "gorgeous floral tones" as well as fresh, fruity flavor notes that include both apple and peach. Typical of a Riesling, this wine is both sweet and tart, and it's something that should pair very nicely with food that's on the spicy side. While Château Frank wines don't tend to be all that cheap, Wine Chateau lists this sparkling riesling at a reasonable $19.97.

Cook's is a popular California champagne brand that is widely available, but it's a best-seller for a good reason. While it's not the cheapest of the cheap, it is still very reasonably priced — in most areas of the country, you can find this wine for under $15. The consensus among those who've reviewed it is that it is surprisingly tasty and excellent value for the money.

Wine Enthusiast found Cook's Brut to be worthy of a review as well, and they awarded it 82 points out of 100. Their verdict was that this California sparkler is "pleasant," and they detected notes of both apple and citrus in its flavor. While Cook's may not be on a par with the finest of French Champagnes, as it lacks the complexity you might find in such a beverage, it's also available at a tiny fraction of the price. Try it in a champagne cocktail or a French 75.

Cupcake Prosecco may have a name that makes you giggle — after all, it combines two of the biggest food fads of the 20-teens. (If only they could find a way to add "bacon" and "unicorn" to the label as well!) While Cupcake's Prosecco may sound sweet, it's actually on the drier side, so if you don't like too much sugar, this may be the bottle for you. Total Wine finds notes of grapefruit, honeydew, lemon, and peach and says the finish is reminiscent of a toasted slice of brioche. All that, and it's under $10 in some parts of the country!

This prosecco is a favorite with Influenster users. As one reviewer put it, "It tastes more expensive than it is." Cupcake Prosecco works especially well as a mixer, particularly when paired with a tart juice such as pineapple. If you like a drink that is dry and bubbly, though, you may also enjoy drinking it straight.

While Cuvée Grand Esprit Marquis de la Mysteriale may be stretching the definition of "cheap" just a tiny bit, the fact is, it actually is pretty darn cheap for capital-C Champagne. Vinepair noted back in 2019 that the average price per bottle for non-vintage champagne was $58, and it's hardly likely to have gone down much since that time. (Can you name anything that's gotten cheaper since 2019?)

Wine Enthusiast rates this non-vintage champagne as a 90 out of 100, noting the fact that it is made from a combination of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, with the former providing much of the flavor as well as a mineral note that gives a nice bite to the fresh apple flavor. Among the other flavors you may detect, look for notes of almond, nougat, and toasted bread. As this champagne has a fairly complex profile, this is something you'd savor on its own or perhaps paired with some chocolate-covered strawberries. It could even make for an extremely elegant contrast to a bucket of fried chicken!

Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs is a sparkling wine that comes from France and is one that Winebow says is made in the famous Méthode Traditionnelle, a.k.a. Méthode Champenoise. It is technically not a Champagne, though, since it is made from grapes sourced throughout France, including the Gascony and Jura regions. We're not sure exactly how this keeps the price down, and yet it does — you can purchase this close cousin to true champagne for under $15 in some areas.

Wine Spectator chose Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs as one of its Wines of the Week back in 2015, rating it an 89 and praising its "lovely" blend of flavors including ginger, pear, quince, and walnut. Wine.com's in-house critic Wilfred Wong also went with an 89 rating for Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs, describing it with words including "delicious," "charming," and "beautiful." With recommendations like these, it sounds like you'll definitely be getting your 15 bucks' worth and then some should you purchase a bottle. In fact, you might want to spring for a whole case and have it on hand for all of your party needs and solo celebrations.

While sparkling wine maker Freixenet is known for its Cordon Negro Cava, which is typically one of the higher-end sparklers available on supermarket shelves, one of their lesser-known products is worthy of notice: an Italian-made sparkling rosé. British lifestyle magazine Red selected Freixenet Italian Sparkling Rosé as their drink of the week a few years back, citing not only the joyful nature of its fruity effervescence but also a bottle they found "rather chic."

The bottle is eye-catching for sure, with textured glass giving it the appearance of cut crystal tinted a lovely shade of pink by the wine within. What makes Freixenet Italian Sparkling Rosé well worth the purchase price — around $15 — is the fact that it's just as much fun to drink as it is to look at. The taste is reminiscent of berries, flowers, and apples, and Drizly suggests it makes the perfect partner for pasta, salads, and seafood as well as being something that can be savored on its own.

Georges Clément's Marie Hélène Brut Champagne is one of the cheapest of true champagnes you're likely to find — Vivino lists the price around $30 per bottle! At this price, it's pretty much a must-buy, since that way you can cross "drink real champagne" off your bucket list without blowing the cap off your budget.

So what do you get for your 30 bucks should you decide to shell out for a bottle of Georges Clément Marie Hélène Brut? Believe it or not, something pretty special indeed. This is Vivino's highest-rated wine from Georges Clément, with an overall 4.3 rating, and the editors say this non-vintage sparkler compares favorably to other offerings at double or even triple the price. The Marie Hélène Brut is a standout selection both for its complexity and its slightly yeasty, but fresh and fruity, flavor profile, with reviewers mentioning notes of apple, citrus, toasted brioche, and even marzipan. As a brut, this wine is on the drier side and is satisfyingly effervescent.

Graham Beck Brut doesn't sound quite so romantic as some of the sparklers with flowery-sounding European names, but that is because it doesn't come from Europe, nor is it American. Instead, this particular sparkling wine comes from South Africa — the Western Cape region of that country, to be exact. South Africa's wine scene is becoming more and more well-known by the day, so it's definitely a region you should check out if you haven't already done so.

Reviewers (via Wine.com) rate Graham Beck Brut in the 90+ range, praising its fresh, lively, if not overly complex flavor profile. It has flavor notes that include apple, apricot, bread, citrus, and mango. Total Wine sells this brut for under $20 per bottle in some places, and happy consumers have awarded it a 4.6-star rating at the time of writing. As one reviewer put it, "This sparkling wine from the South African cape can hold its own against the best champagnes!! Don't let the low price fool you — this is an amazing wine!"

Jacquart Brut Mosaïque is another non-vintage champagne that is well worth its modest price tag — at present, Wine.com is selling it for a mere $36.99. At this price, this wine is quite the bargain, as it is highly acclaimed by the critics. British wine magazine Decanter rated Jacquart Brut Mosaïque a 95, while wine expert James Suckling gave it score of 91.

The flavor profile of the Jacquart Brut Mosaïque is one of the more complex ones we've seen, at least at this price point. Among the notes you might detect are those of acacia, almond, apple, cream, fig, fresh bread, honey, lemon, orange blossom, and pear. This isn't the kind of champagne you'd typically use in a cocktail but is instead meant to be enjoyed in a glass on its own. In order to enhance your enjoyment, you could perhaps serve it accompanied with a few hors d'oeuvres, a cheese plate, or something light but elegant like a chilled, dressed lobster.

While we tend to think of American-made sparkling wines as wines from California, there are wineries outside that state that also try their hand at a sparkler or two. One of our favorites is the sparkling rosé made in New Mexico. It sells for around $15 at Total Wine but has received a top-tier rating of 92 from the industry publication Beverage Dynamics. In their review, they found it to go above and beyond anything they'd been led to expect. And considering the low price point, we feel the same way.

The Jacqueline Leonne Rosé has a tart, fruity flavor somewhat reminiscent of ripe red raspberries. Reviewers also detected citrus and floral notes and were pleased by its perfect balance — not too sweet, but not too dry. One thing we particularly like about this rosé is the pretty-in-pink bottle that makes it perfect for gifting, particularly on a romantic occasion.

Bollinger is one of the big dogs (or gros chiens) of the Champagne world, but they also own vineyards in France's Loire Valley, another top wine-producing region. The sparkling wine they make from those Loire-grown grapes is produced by the same method they use for their Champagnes, but the terroir makes it something called a Crémant instead.

Their non-vintage Langlois-Chateau Crémant de Loire Brut is a wine that compares quite favorably to true champagnes prices upwards of $75 per bottle, and yet you can pick it up on Wine Access for around $20. It is made from three different types of grapes: not only the Chardonnay ones typically used in many sparkling wines but also Cabernet Franc and, predominantly, Chenin Blanc. The flavor profile includes apple, baked fruit, brioche, and citrus, with slight mineral notes adding further complexity. Many of the member reviews on Wine Access cite the fact that Langlois-Chateau Crémant de Loire Brut could easily be mistaken for a true champagne, as well as the fact that, as one person put it, this crémant "drinks WAY above its price point."

Lucien Albrecht is a name that sounds both French and German, and the winery is, in fact, located in the long-disputed Alsace region that currently belongs to France. There's no disputing the quality and the value of Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut, however. This sparkling wine is made in the traditional method but is designated a Crémant due to the fact that it is produced outside the Champagne region.

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut, a bargain at around $20 (via Wine.com), is primarily made from pinot blanc grapes. Its taste hints at apples as well as several stone fruits -– apricots and peaches, to be specific — along with a few floral notes. While purchasers have rated it 4 out of 5 stars, critics have been even more enthusiastic. Wine Enthusiast gave the Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut a rating of 89, finding it to be quite refreshing and easy on the palate.

G. H. Mumm is one of the world's premier champagne houses, but not all of their vineyards are in Champagne, or even in France. They own extensive acreage in the Napa Valley as well, which means that they do produce some affordable California sparklers. Mumm's Napa Brut Prestige, available from Total Wine for around $15 to $20, is quite a bargain at that price. Not only does it have a 4.5-star rating from purchasers, but it has garnered heaps of critical acclaim as well.

Wine.com has shared some of what wine critics have had to say, and it's all good. Both Wine Spectator and Decanter have awarded it a rating of 90, and they praise its complex assemblage of flavors including apple, bread, citrus, gingerbread, melon, stone fruit, strawberry, and vanilla. Napa Brut Prestige is the type of sparkling wine that can be enjoyed on its own but would also go well alongside a meal. In fact, we can't think of a single meal, breakfast included, that wouldn't be enhanced by a glass of this bubbly!

Segura Viudas has been in the Cava-making business for a good long while. While the winery itself dates back to the 1950s, their 1,000+-year-old estate has been known for its grapes for centuries. Even their basic brut is made with the meticulous care and attention to detail that comes from long experience, and everything about it speaks of its high quality. Everything, that is, apart from its price tag.

At just under $10 at Total Wine, Segura Viudas Brut is one of the cheapest sparkling wines on our list. Those who have tried it, though, find it to be far better than its low price point would seem to indicate. Segura Viudas Brut has a 4.5-star consumer rating, with rave reviews such as "Superb for the price ... an excellent Cava with a big bang for the buck!" and "Goes great with anything and great taste at a value price."