To think you can get a decent bottle of sparkling wine for £8? (recommendations sought)

[Bemusedandpuzzled]

I posted in 'Wine' but it's deader than a doornail in there, so posting here for traffic.

DH and I are paying for BIL's fizz toast at his forthcoming wedding. It's a big do, so we will need 48 bottles or so. DH and I have budgeted around £400, which works out at around £8 a bottle.

I told my friend about this, and she got all snooty and said we were being cheap not having 'proper' champagne. I am sure that an £80 bottle of fizz tastes wonderful, but DH and I don't have limitless cash. BIL is totally happy with what we have budgeted.

I said we would organise a tasting for BIL and his partner next weekend with 6-7 different bottles, so they can choose their favourite. Can you recommend me some fizz around this price for them to try please?

Moira the point about the Waitrose ones is that they are all on offer, at under £8 a bottle and down from £10-11 and so represent good value at the moment.
OP, if your budget allows I'd get the fizz as soon as you can - a few months in bottle, on its side, won't do it any harm AT ALL and may even help it along a little. (A tip for NV champagne that can work well on other sparklers too.)

Agree with pp go to majestic you'll get the best wine at the best price.

tarty - that is EXACTLY what I'm planning to do!

Tesco own brand cava is also another good one, but I suppose for a wedding you will be mindful of image/perception of luxury/not having people thinking you are being cheap, even if that is everyone's favourite.

But you can discuss this with BIL when you have your tasting party. Most of the labelling is quite discreet and you'd have to read the tiny writing on the back to know it was supermarket own brand. I don't have a problem with that, but a lot of people do, as you have found with snooty friend.

Freixenet is always a winner and often on offer in supermarkets. Aldi cava is also v.good. As is co-op. Tesco Brut also very drinkable. Just avoid anything Demi-Sec, it's way too sweet!
I personally prefer cava to prosecco but I'll never turn either down! Aldi silver label prosecco is lovely though.

We had a Lindauer that we got from Majestic - it was about £7.00 a bottle and was delicious.

I can always taste the difference between cava and prosecco and champagne, but OP, you've already mentioned a couple of cremants and I find it very hard to tell the difference between a good cremant and champagne.

Although as pp's have said, it doesn't actually matter what you serve as long as it's nice. And chilled - are you organising ice too? Please make sure someone is!

Was going to suggest the Aldi organic prosecco but seen it's been mentioned already and you've tried it already which is a bonus!! We had it at a party 2 weeks ago then bought a dozen bottles for ourselves in their website.

remember - I really like the organic prosecco, it's lovely

I agree with you about cremants being closer to champagne lonny. I actually prefer some of the £8-12 Cremants to some £15-25 champagnes.

I have been lucky enough to be at functions with some really expensive champagne on offer, and I have to say I am not sure you get as much bang for your extra buck over a standard bottle compared to other wines! I think if someone gave me a £100 wine token to spend on just one bottle, I wouldn't choose sparkling!

www.standard.co.uk/shopping/esbest/christmas/food-drink/wine-spirits/best-prosecco-to-buy-in-the-uk-aldi-harrods-lidl-tesco-a3419381.html

This has a few good options if you want prosecco.

I read somewhere that cava was the new drink, but I think it's the new prosecco so to speak rather than the new champagne.

This is the best prosecco I have ever tried. But above budget and not sure you can buy single bottles to try but it's amazing for the price.

www.nakedwines.com/wines/sacchetto-prosecco-col-de-l-utia-brut-2016.htm

This is also lovely:

wine.coop.co.uk/co-op-prosecco.html?_ga=2.131737743.1025474336.1502197282-209623224.1419437406

Do you have access to a Makro card?
They do a nice one which works out less than £7 a bottle I think. I can't remember the name so will come back in a mo with a link.

Freixenet cordon negro brut cava is lush, quite dry and £7 a bottle atm at sainsbury, normally £10.

Another vote for the Aldi organic prosecco. I dislike prosecco as a rule, but this is gorgeous. And the bottles look lovely, too

I 2nd the Tesco Plaza Prosecco, delish!

Oooh, hadn't thought of the Co-op! Thanks - that's a great recommendation. That Standard article is useful too, cheers!

I don't have a Makro card. I could get a Costco one if there's something worth getting there.

We had the Tesco pride I at our wedding - didn't hear any complaints and it got drunk! Not everyone likes fizz, and will just sip for the toasts, but there's always someone else to finish it up!

I third Tesco plaza Centro...i have had a couple of people enquire what it was as they thought it was a really nice prosecco.

Aldi and Lidl both do Champagne for £10 per bottle. It's nice. Also ASDA regularly reduce different Champagnes to around that.

Lidl Cremant is good too.

I'm not that keen on the Aldi champagne. I know it beat a load of more expensive ones in taste tests, so it must just be me! But I was underwhelmed by it. I had a cheap M&S champagne too recently and was similarly disappointed. Good to hear the Lidl Cremant is good, though - it's definitely on my list!

Cava or Cremant over Prosecco.

The Cremant IS the most champagney one of the non champagnes. Enjoy the tasting party!

Great thread!

I love cava and usually stick to Tesco Brut. On the back of this thread I'm going to branch out and try some others now.

I usually find cava is more palatable than prosecco... I can taste too much sweetness in prosecco.