The darling of hen parties, after-work drinks and birthdays, there’s no denying Prosecco’s status as our pick of effervescent party drinks.
Brits are the biggest fans of Italy’s sparkling wine. Numbers from the Prosecco DOC Consortium showed the UK imported 130 million bottles in 2022, a 3.5 per cent increase on the year before.
Is it any wonder? In most cases, it is far easier on the finances than Champagne; you can pick up a few bottles or even an entire case for the same cost as a bottle of France’s premium fizz. This means less guilt for drinking more bottles, which, when you’ve got something to celebrate, can only be a good thing. Think reception drinks after the main wedding toast, big birthday bashes and summer or Christmas parties when you’ve got big crowds to water. It doesn’t need to be aged either; simply pop, pour - and enjoy.
Prosecco is offered in three tiers of fizziness: spumante (sparkling), frizzante (semi-sparkling) and tranquilo (still), but all are made from grapes grown in the shadow of the Alps up in the northeastern reaches of the country. You can tell if a bottle is the real thing by looking for the letters DOC or DOCG on the label which speak of the authenticity of the golden liquid within.
While Champagne brands are largely sold on heritage and prestige, it seems as though there are new Prosecco producers popping up on the shelves every week, making it challenging to distinguish the good from the er… not so great.
That’s where we come in. As firm advocates of the stuff, we’ve made it our mission to help you navigate the best Prosecco to splash out on.
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Bottega
With its gilded bottle, Bottega may look like a flashy new brand, but it’s been around since the 17th century with a portfolio that also spans grappa and award-winning liquors.
Starting from a humble vineyard, spumante Prosecco started being bottled in 1992, with the now-familiar gold bottles sitting pretty as the best-selling sparkling wine in travel retail since 2017, according to IWSR rankings.
No wonder; the bottle makes an impressive gift for wine drinkers and its contents are a delight too, with Glera grapes offering refreshing notes of apple, pear, acacia and lily.
Buy now £21.50, The Whisky Exchange
La Gioiosa
Named "the joyful" after the Italian motto to describe Treviso, the Prosecco-producing province, there's little wonder of what to expect from this sparkling.
The pale gold liquid could easily pass for its more expensive French cousin Champagne and it routinely comes out top in taste tests. As well as traditional Prosecco, the brand also makes a rather elegant Rosé version that's balanced with fruity and floral notes on the palate. They're widely available from Asda to Waitrose.
Buy now £9.50, Sainsbury’s
Mionetto Orange Label Prosecco 75cl
With a history dating back to 1887, Mionetto is one of the finest winemakers Italy has to offer. This extra-dry 11 per cent ABV brut is a legacy of its expertise. In an ES taste test, one reviewer remarked that it has a "Nice refined taste, would serve to the in-laws during an awkward dinner party”. If that’s not a winner...
Buy now £11.00, Sainsbury’s
Freixenet Prosecco D. O. C. 75cl
If it’s glamour you’re after, Freixenet offers an easy win. The cut glass bottle offers elegance while the Glera grapes used within are awash with bright, fresh notes. All in all, a bottle that’s truly toast-worthy.
Buy now £10.49, Waitrose
Kylie Minogue Prosecco
Star power: the disco queen from Down Under
Kylie may be used to topping the charts with seven No.1s in the UK alone, but she’s top of the pops in the drinks world too. In 2021, her Prosecco rose was the leader in the category selling over a million bottles just 10 months after it launched - according to data from Neilsen.
The extra-dry vegan-friendly tipple comes in a heart-embossed bottle and dances with red berries and fragrant blossoms. It hits all the right notes, but then what else would you expect from a musical legend?
Buy now £9.00, Sainsbury’s
La Gioiosa Prosecco Gold 75cl
A delicious treat to enjoy on a special occasion, this tasty prosecco offers bags of apple and floral flavours. The 11 per cent wine is dry and fresh, helping cut through heavy dinners and partnering well with light appetisers.
There’s also a rose version, for those who enjoy berry-charged sips, £12.99 at Majestic.
Buy now £9.50, Sainsbury’s
Pale Fox Single Estate Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Pretty inside and out, this prosecco is made from Glera grapes harvested in The Valley of the Foxes in Asolo, Italy, one of only two superior DOCG-certified prosecco regions in the country. The frosted bottle and pretty label make it ideal for gifting, to someone special or as a self-love treat. It’s low in sulphites too, helping to take the edge off the dreaded wine hangover.
Honourable mention also goes to the brand’s Rose - combining two of the most beloved beverages with notes of strawberries, pomegranate and white flowers. Fresh, floral and delicious.
Buy now £32.00, John Lewis
Della Vite Prosecco Superiore DOCG 750ml
The imitable Delevingne sisters - Chloe, Poppy, and Cara - teamed up to produce their own prosecco, and it's 100 per cent vegan. The sparkling wine is filtered through a process involving ceramics rather than animal products and solar energy is used in its creation, further bolstering the guilt-free credentials. What's more, the purchase of every bottle includes a donation to MyTrees which protects five trees.
Buy now £25.99, Selfridges
Martini Prosecco NV
You may already be familiar with the cocktail, but Martini the brand is among the best known in Italy. One of the standout bottles in its portfolio is this dry and fresh prosecco, which shines best when used in a cocktail like a Pornstar Martini or a twist on a Buck’s Fizz.
Buy now £11.25, The Whisky Exchange
