It may be an Italian tipple, but prosecco has certainly become something of a British icon – it’s a must-have on girl’s nights out and celebrations, and it doesn’t go amiss with visitors when there’s a chilled bottle in the fridge. We love it so much here in the UK, that it’s actually the nation’s favourite sparkling wine.
If you’ve tasted a bad bottle, you might well find yourself wondering why it’s so popular. So many bottles fall by the wayside for two reasons: they’re either cloying and sweet or there’s nothing to them. But once you find the right bottle, however, with refined bubbles, refreshing flavours and delicious fruits, you’ll find yourself waving the flag for prosecco – just in time for Christmas.
Prosecco offers a range of styles, from dry to sweeter variations, often showcasing notes of apple, pear and citrus – bottles can often set you back less than their champagne counterparts, too.
Here, our curated selection covers it all, from affordable gems to luxury fizz. Let’s pop that cork and dive straight in – it’s Christmas!
How we tested
Each bottle was chilled in the fridge to between 6C and 9C. Once opened, the sparkling wine was allowed to sit in the glass for 10 minutes, to open up and warm slightly to the ideal drinking temperature of 8C to 13C before tasting. Only the ones that impressed us the most made it into our final line-up.
The best proseccos for 2024 are:
Il Colmo prosecco brut
Sleek and modern, this prosecco is designed to impress. Exclusive to Virgin Wines, it offers crisp orchard fruit and vivacious bubbles that bring mountain-fresh vibes from the Venetian hills. Expect delicate flavours of pear, apple and melon, with a touch of lime and apricot on the finish. Crisp, crunchy, vibrant and refreshing all come to mind while enjoying the lively mousse. Il Colmo means ‘the pinnacle’, and, at this price, it’s difficult to argue against that sentiment.
Buy now £14.99, Virginwines.co.uk
Tesco Finest prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG
A true steal at less than £10, Tesco’s prosecco features notes of white peach, ripe pear and fragrant white blossom. This elegant sparkler is a standout find from the premium vineyards of the Valdobbiadene hills. It’s dry, zesty and refreshing, with just the right balance of fruit and acidity. The approachable alcohol percentage with the dry profile makes it easy-going, but with enough complexity to intrigue with each sip.
Buy now £10.00, Tesco.com
BRT prosecco superiore DOCG brut
A top-end example from Duca di Dolle, this is a blend of 90 per cent glera, 5 per cent verdiso and 5 per cent perera, from some of the best vineyards in the Prosecco Superiore DOCG. With a pale straw colour, vibrant bubbles and aromas of apple and pear as well as lively floral and citrus notes, it is everything you could want from a prosecco. Its fresh, crisp finish makes each sip as refreshing as the last, and it pairs perfectly with mature cheeses and cured meats. It also works beautifully with shellfish.
Buy now £20.01, Armitwines.co.uk
Villa Degli Olmi Corte dei Rovi prosecco NV
What a wine this is. Villa Degli Olmi’s prosecco is a standout, crafted through natural fermentation from a fourth-generation family winery. This extra-dry sparkler showcases fragrant notes of jasmine, vibrant apple, and citrus, alongside a creamy mousse and a subtle mineral touch. It consistently outperforms more-expensive competitors, being awarded a host of competition medals.
Buy now £15.95, Perfectcellar.com
Bresolin organic prosecco extra brut
The Bresolin brothers are pursuing the admirable craft of organic wine, and their silvery prosecco shines with straw-yellow highlights and fine bubbles – it really is intriguing in the glass. Expect a fragrant nose of fresh apple and acacia blossom, while the palate is crisp, with notes of green apple, pear, elderflower, and vivid lemon. Exceptionally well-balanced, it finishes with a unique touch of salty minerality. With the delicious citrus, a subtle earthy quality throughout and refreshing salinity to the aftertaste, you’d be a fool not to enjoy this alongside seafood.
Buy now £16.50, Wanderlustwine.co.uk
Kylie Minogue prosecco DOC rosé
Pink prosecco hasn’t been around long, and this Kylie Minogue fizz might surprise you, as the red fruits are subtle, fresh and mellow, avoiding the cloying and synthetic pitfalls that are the downfall of so many proseccos. Made from a blend of glera and pinot noir grapes in the Veneto region, this super dry and refreshing rosé fizzes with flavours of fresh strawberries, red cherries, and raspberries, balanced beautifully by background floral notes. The soft pale pink hue and charming heart design on the bottle – not to mention the aura of Kylie glamour – make it perfect for parties.
Buy now £8.50, Asda.com
Pasqua ‘Romeo & Juliet’ brut prosecco DOC
This charming prosecco from Treviso, Veneto, is a light, aromatic delight, full of crisp citrus, apple, and pear flavours. Its soft bubbles and romantic label, inspired by the legendary love story of Romeo and Juliet, make it a perfect party centrepiece. Made from 100 per cent glera grapes and produced using the Charmat method, it’s bright, fresh, vivacious and brimming with orchard fruits and a touch of citrus. This pleasant tang overlaps into a pleasing mineral finish. Being so food-friendly and emitting lovey-dovey vibes, this is perfectly placed alongside a romantic home-cooked meal.
Buy now £13.00, Majestic.co.uk
Aqualta prosecco DOC
Exclusive to Majestic, this bottle offers a perfect balance between prosecco styles. Its seductive melon, pear and apple notes deliver residual sweetness but there’s also plenty of fizz and crisp citrus bite. The smoothness is to die for, and the fresh fragrance keeps you coming back. It stands out from other gleras, without taking the character in an extreme direction – it’s just quality fizz that’s absolutely mastered the balance.
Although this bottle is currently sold out online, you may be able to find it in your local Majestic store.
Buy now £10.00, Majestic.co.uk
Alberto Nani organic prosecco, extra dry NV
Sourced from mineral-rich clay soil hills, Alberto Nani’s prosecco is a vibrant, organic glera sparkler with a floral bouquet nose that’s taken over by ripe peach, crisp apple, and juicy pear in the mouth. Pineapple and cantaloupe bring a tropical punch but there’s also plenty of dry minerality. Combined with the beautiful golden hues, the intense effervescence and the creamy texture, this is a certified winner.
Buy now £9.49, Waitrosecellar.com
Freixenet prosecco DOC
Forever catching our eyes, Freixenet has some tremendous releases that often represent some of the best-value fizz on supermarket shelves. The signature bottle is hard to resist, but here we have substance as well as style. Crafted from glera grapes in Veneto, this prosecco bursts with ripe lemon, a hint of green apple, and a kiss of honey. Light, crisp and endlessly drinkable, it’s perfect for having a special glass of something without spending big.
Buy now £8.50, Asda.com
Graham Norton’s Own prosecco frizzante DOC NV
Everyone’s favourite talk show host has been behind some super wines for years now, and they just seem to keep getting better. Norton’s prosecco is extra-dry with 100 per cent glera grapes from Italy’s Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. Expect gentler, finer bubbles in the glass and a rising aroma of white flowers and acacia that’s particularly inviting. The first sip justifies all the awards it has won, as green and red apples star in a palate that stands out as sublimely light. The perfect kiss of sweetness lurks in the background, but it’s so crisp that finishing the bottle is dangerously easy.
Buy now £12.00, Winedelivered.co.uk
Dolly Wines prosecco DOC
Yes, it is that Dolly. Ms Parton’s prosecco was launched just this year, and features a pale straw-yellow hue and fine bubbles. The stone fruit aroma of peach and apricot is very seductive – on the palate, these fruit-forward notes evolve into creamy orchard fruits with acidic zing. There’s a lot going on but the balance ends up exactly where it needs to be: bright and lovable. Perfect for drinking, nine to five.
Buy now £8.50, Asda.com
Bottega gold
Wherever you stand on golden bottles, they certainly grab your attention. Far too often, though, the contents can’t back up this level of glamour, but that’s certainly not the case here. Produced from premium Valdobbiadene grapes, this prosecco delivers a luxurious blend of green apple, pear and citrus, with floral and sage notes. It’s a complete package – think fine bubbles, soft and refreshing mousse, and cleansing acidity. It’s a Drinks Business Prosecco Masters 2021 gold medal winner, and you can taste why.
Buy now £26.00, Majestic.co.uk
Le Colture Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze DOCG NV
Le Colture is a family winery slap bang in the middle of Italy’s prosecco country. Exclusive to Corney & Barrow, this Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze DOCG offers a masterclass in sparkling wine, with 500 years of winemaking expertise behind it. Known as the grand cru of prosecco, it’s almost champagne-like with elegant, perfumed aromas of orange blossom and rose, alongside apricot and peach flavours. Joining those rich and ripe fruits are savoury lees notes and a saline core. The harmony between everything is sublime, which is why this is a benchmark of premium prosecco.
Buy now £25.70, Corneyandbarrow.com
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference prosecco rosé
This is another fruit-forward prosecco rosé that’s restrained with its sweetness. The glera and pinot noir blend brings delicate strawberry, raspberry and red cherry flavours to the fore, balancing fresh acidity, refreshing dryness and fruity sweetness in harmony. As the berries dissipate, a touch of grapefruit pith shows itself, too. It’s easy to love and would be ideal with antipasti or light dishes such as fish and tomato-based sauces.
Buy now £9.75, Sainsburys.co.uk
Why you can trust us
Aidy Smith is an award-winning TV presenter, broadcaster and journalist. He is the presenter of Amazon Prime’s award-winning drinks-themed travel series The Three Drinkers and is frequently heard across TV and radio. Seek out more of his drinks discoveries at @Sypped.
Proseccos FAQs
What do the different labels mean?
Read the labels carefully – all prosecco should be made largely from the glera grape and hail from certain areas of the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions of northern Italy.
The verdict: Proseccos
Both Tesco’s Finest and Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference proseccos stood out when it came to affordable supermarket fizz. Whether you’re buying for larger crowds or just want to make some vibrant fizzy cocktails, these work wonders. Along with supermarket options, it seems there’s an abundance of celebrities who’ve tried their hand at creating the perfect prosecco. Dolly Parton, Graham Norton and Kylie Minogue were worthy contenders within this arena, with each bottle falling very close to that sweet £10 mark, too.
Prosecco isn’t just about cheap fizz, however – there’s a growing number of premium options offering more flavour, texture and body. Ranging anywhere from around £15 to £25, key examples here include Bresolin, Bottega gold and the Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze.
Ultimately, there can only be one top spot. Based on its mid-tier price point offering something special in terms of taste, approachability and key flavour, Il Como prosecco brut brings the medal home this time. Perfectly balanced, these bubbles flourish with orchard fruits and a succulently crisp finish. Housed within a stunning bottle, it makes for an impressive gift, too.
For more sparkling vinos, check out our review of the best pét nat wines
