You know we don’t need a special occasion to pop a bottle of bubbly, we can always find a reason to celebrate and sometimes that celebration is so impromptu, we need to grab a quick bottle of grocery store champagne or sparkling wine.
And yes, I typically have a nice stash of great wine, but I always find myself wandering the wine aisle looking for great deal on my favorite bottle of champagne or prosecco.
I used to buy most of my bubbly from my favorite wineries, but I am finding myself exploring the local grocery store to see what’s new and fun. My goal here was to find good bottles of sparkling wine that will be easily accessible and hopefully something you can run and grab when you need that last minute gift.
Of course, if I am looking for something very specific or unique, like a grower champagne or 100% pinot meunier, I probably will not find it at my local grocery store becuase they usually don’t have bottles that are that niche. So, this list of recommendations are solid bottles that are an excellent choice when you’re looking for consistency.
Reading the Label
Let’s face it, grocery stores have a decent wine selection, but when it comes to the sparkling wine selection, it’s usually 1/2 an aisle. It’s a great place to run in and pick up a single bottle as you’re running to a party or maybe even stock up on a favorite wines because of the good prices. So let’s break down some terms you might see on the label so you can make a good selection.
- Méthode Champenoise-This is referring to using the same method to make sparkling wine as they do in the Champagne region of France which is the only place that can label a bottle as champagne. It means that the secondary fermentation happens in the same bottle you’re about to pull off that shelf and take home.
- Traditional Method or Méthode Traditionnelle-This is another way to note that the method being used is that same as champagne.
- French Sparkling Wine– This is any sparkling wine out of France that didn’t come from the Champagne region of France.
- Charmat Method-You will sometimes here this referred to as the tank method. It’s a less expensive and faster way to make sparkling wine where the second ferementation takes place in a pressurized tank rather than a bottle. Typically sparkling wine made in this method has larger bubbles. Prosecco is typically made using this method.
- Blanc de blanc(s)-Blanc de Blancs transaltes to “white from whites” or “white of whites”. So, when you see this on a label it simply means that it’s a sparkling wine made with only white grapes. If you see the term blanc de blanc especially common in french champagnes, this means it’s made from a single varietal white grape, likely chardonnay. If you see blanc de blancs on the label, which means it’s made with more than one varietal of white grape.
- Blanc de Noirs– Blanc de Noirs translates to “White from blacks,” which means that a white wine is made of red or black grapes. In the sparkling wine world, this term is used for sparkling wine made entirely from pinot noir and/or pinot meunier instead of a mix of both red and white grape varieties.
- Non Vintage-If you don’t see a date on a bottle of wine or you see these letters: NV, you’re looking at non-vintage champagnes or sparkling wine. So, what does this mean? Simply that the grapes are a blend from more than one vintage. This allows the winemaker to keep the champagne or sparkling wine consistent from year to year. So, you can enjoy a taste test of a non-vintage bottle today and a year from now it should taste the same.
Hopefully defining these terms that you see on a label are helpful for you to pick out the best supermarket champagne or sparkling wine for your occasion. Now let’s talk about sparkling wine selections that would make an excellent choice.
All of these bottles are going to be great on their own or paired with food. And if I use it to top a bubbly cocktail, I’ll be sure to note that as well. These will also all be non-vintage as those are usually less expensive and always more consistent than vintage wines.
Grocery Store Champagne
If you know me at all, I don’t buy expensive champagne, it’s just not something I splurge on. For me, the perfect bottle of champagne is $50 or less. Now, I realize that I will not get the best champagne from one of the exclusive champagne houses out there with that limit and there is an occasion that I will splurge, but not very often. And while Dom Perignon was at my local grocery store, I did not add it to this list since on sale it’s $299.99.
For my three choices here, I found the best (in my opinion) grocery store champagne for as close to $50 as possible.
Moët & Chandon
This is a great option as you can often find it around $50 (my local liquor store always has it for under $50 and my local grocery store has it for $60). It’s a non-vintage champagne with hints of citrus fruit, white peach and apple.
G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon
Another great champagne option coming in at around $50. (Again, my local liquor store always has it for $50 and my local grocery store has it for $60. With notes of white peach and apricots, you’re also going to get aroma of vanilla, dried fruit and yeast.
Veuve Clicquot
Of the three champagnes on this list, this will be the most expensive and the one most recognize beccasue they always have the most fun marketing campaigns all summer long. It’s a non-vintage cuvée (blend) with notes of pear, apple, white peach, citrus and aromas of pastry
Sparkling Wine
Chandon Brut
Made in the traditional method, his non-vintage sparkling wine comes from California and is under $25 at the grocery store. It’s crisp with flavors of citrus, green apple, pear and a hint of biscuit.
Gruet Brut and Brut Rosé
These sparkling wines come from New Mexico and are made in the traditional method. These bottles are under $20 at the grocery store. To be completely honest, I have not tried the brut rosé yet and just saw it on the shelf on one of my recent visits so I had to add it to the mix. The brut is crisp with notes of green apple and citrus.
Mumm Napa Brut Prestige
Made in the traditional method, this bottle has won more awards than other wines in its class. This bottle is under $25. It’s crisp withbright citrus, red apple, stone fruit and has a bit of a vanilla aroma as well. If you enjoy creaminess in your sparkling wine, this is your pick.
Spanish Cava
Poema Brut
Poema is my go-to cava choice that is less than $15 in the grocery store. This cava from Spain is made using the traditional method. It’s fresh, crisp, and creamy with notes of green apple and also has that hint of toasted bread.
Freixenet Cordón Negro Brut
Freixenet is a bottle you need if you ever want to customize it because it looks so great decorated with paint pen. And under $15, it makes a great unique gift. This crisp cava with notes of apple, pear and citrus is great on its own, but we also enjoy using this to make sparkling cocktails.
Italian Prosecco
La Marca Prosecco and La Marca Prosecco Rosé
These bottles are always under $15 and the La Marca Prosecco Rosé is one of my favorite sparkling rosés out there. I use both the prosecco and the prosecco rosé to top bubbly cocktails. The prosecco is crisp with notes of green apple and citrus. And the proseccco rosé is bright, crisp, refreshing with notes of citrus and the perfect pop of red fruit like cherry, raspberry and strawberry.
90 Plus Cellars
If you are a part of our Instagram community, you have seen that I keep 90 Plus Cellars Prosecco stocked at all times because it is my current favorite to top all bubbly cocktails with. My grocery store has had this priced at $6.99 on many occasions and I take full advantage and stock up. This bottle is great on its own. The first thing you’ll notice is how bubbly it is. And then you will get notes of citrus, fresh peaches and melon.
Now, I also have to share with you that I recently tried their sparkling rosé when we celebrated National Potato Chip day by pairing both the 90 Plus Cellars prosecco and this rosé with potato chips. And just like the prosecco, if you see it, grab it. Also under $10, you’re going to get those same great bubbles along with citrus and red fruit notes. And for the record, we enjoyed both of these with a various flavors of potato chips.
Josh Cellars Prosecco and Prosecco Rosé
Both of these bottles are under $20 each. This prosecco is crisp with notes of citrus, pear and green apple. The prosecco rosé is going to give you notes of red berry and blackberry.
Grocery Store Bubbly
Next time you’re at your local grocery store needing to grab a bottle, hopefully this helps you to narrow down your options based on price point and type of sparkling wine. And I will be 100% honest with you, one of my favorite ways to buy sparkling wines and champagnes is simply by the label. I know they say don’t judge a book by the cover, but I will pick a bottle of bubbly by the label.
And yes, I do love to visit a local wine shop to see what unique bottles of sparkling wine they have in, but it’s not always the most convenient. And no trip to Trader Joe’s would be complete without me paying a visit to the wine aisle. In fact, we created some really fun, fruity mimosas with Trader Joe sparkling wines that are super easy and fun to recreate and perfect for any brunch you’re hosting.
And of course, when I am in Costco, I always stroll through the alcohol section to see what’s new and exciting….side note, the Sterling Sparkling Brut is a good option if your Costco carries it.
What bottle of grocery store champagne, sparkling wine, cava or prosecco are you grabbing next time you’re shopping?
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