Whether or not you love sparkling wine, you’re probably going to be drinking at least one glass come New Year’s Eve. If you’re on a budget, though, classic choices like Champagne are probably out of your price range. The good news? There are plenty of fun, festive sparkling wines under $20 on the market these days, ready to be popped as you say goodbye to 2018.
While none of the options below are technically Champagne — that name is reserved for wines made from grapes grown in a specific way in a specific region of France — they feel just as fancy. Some are sweet and fruity; others are drier with notes of spice or flowers. What all 14 of them have in common is that they’re under $20 a bottle and come recommended by wine experts who really know their stuff.
If you’re planning a party for Dec. 31, stock up on several of the bottles below for a guaranteed good time. And if you’re the kind of person who likes to ring in the new year on the couch, you might as well do it with a bottle of bubbly.
Finke’s sparkling white blend
“This blend is an exclusive small-batch American craft sparkling,” Brooke Matthias, wine director at Winc, tells SheKnows. “A blend of Chenin blanc and chardonnay, this bottle was made using the charmat method to produce lively bubbles, brightness and freshness. It’s perfect for all of your New Year celebrations and, of course, can be used as the main ingredient for your holiday mimosa bar.”
2017 Finke’s sparkling white blend, $13 at Winc
Finke’s barrel-aged sparkling chardonnay
“This bottle of sparkling chardonnay was barrel-aged 10 months for added texture and complexity,” says Matthias. “In this particular bottle, you’ll find pleasant notes of brioche and a little extra richness from the aging. After a few indulgent holiday meals, your stomach will find comfort in this delicate, sparkling chardonnay.”
Finke’s barrel-aged sparkling chardonnay, $20 at Winc
Finke’s sparkling Chenin blanc
“This sparkling Chenin blanc is light, slightly sweet and aromatic and is my go-to pick as dessert’s choice companion,” says Matthias. Use it to make Champagne cake pops and then serve a bottle on the side.
Finke’s sparkling Chenin blanc, $18 at Winc
Dark Horse sparkling brut nonvintage
Winemaker Beth Liston tells SheKnows this wine is lively with layers of fruity flavor from apple and pear. Serve it with a fancy cheese plate — the fruit notes will cut through creamy cheese.
Dark Horse sparkling brut nonvintage, $12.99 at Wine Deals
Dark Horse sparkling brut rosé nonvintage
This pretty pink wine packs a fun punch, says Liston. It’s super-fruity, with flavors coming from stone fruits, citrus and red berries.
Dark Horse sparkling brut rosé nonvintage, $12.99 at Wine Deals
La Marca Prosecco
Made from grapes grown in a Northern Italy cooperative, this wine is crisp and refreshing with some floral notes. If your plan is to drink for hours — and isn’t that kind of the name of the game on New Year’s Eve? — a few bottles of this will get you through.
La Marca Prosecco, $12.99 at Wine Deals
Masottina prosecco Treviso D.O.C., brut NV
“This is a lively and elegant prosecco with fine minerality,” Mia Martensson, sommelier at Seven Stars Resort & Spa in Turks & Caicos, tells SheKnows. With aromas of fresh citrus, classic flower notes and green apples, Martensson says it’s perfect for easy drinking with light tapas and friends and pairs well with lighter seafood dishes, like oysters, ceviche and sushi.
Masottina prosecco Treviso D.O.C., brut NV, $12.99 at Sokolin
Juvé & Camps Reserva de la Familia grand reserva brut
“Cava has a typically pale golden color with a rich and elegant nose that begins with ripe white fruit and moves towards the notes that come from aging,” Angelo Martelli, wine director at Fairway Markets, tells SheKnows. “On the palate, it is extremely seductive, with a fresh, pleasant texture and long finish that is once again reminiscent of white fruit. [It] pairs well with rice dishes, cheese, white meat, fish, seafood.”
Juvé & Camps Reserva de la Familia grand reserva brut, $19.99 at Wine.com
Isotta Manzoni Prosecco D.O.C. Cuvée Giuliana
Martelli describes this wine as “a rich and very layered prosecco with dried pear and apple character that shows just a hint of spice, namely nutmeg. It is full-bodied… with a fresh and bone-dry finish.”
Isotta Manzoni Prosecco D.O.C. Cuvée Giuliana, $11.99 at We Speak Wine
Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé
“Looking for a great French sparkling? This is a great rosé with ripeness coming from sweet fruits. It’s dry but elegant,” says Martelli. “Enjoy with salmon, cheese, turkey or fresh fruit. It is 100 percent pinot noir — creamy and delicious.”
Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé, $18.99 at Wine.com
Lot 49 sparkling rosé
This fun sparkling wine is made from pinot noir grown in vineyards in the Italy’s northern regions of Trentino and Alto Adige. “Sparkling rosé has a pale pink color with a charming effervescence and notes of strawberries, passion fruit and rose petals,” Brett Vankoski, cofounder and wine director at 90+ Cellars, tells SheKnows. “Pristinely clean and bubbly, this sparkler is great for a holiday brunch of smoked salmon, quiche and fresh fruit.”
Lot 49 sparkling rosé, $10.62 at 90+ Cellars
Lot 50 Prosecco
“This Italian sparkler is made from grapes harvested in vineyards situated in the hills and valleys of Italy’s Veneto,” says Vankoski. “It boasts aromas of fresh peach and hints of ginger and lilac. The crisp citrus finish makes this prosecco the perfect accompaniment for seafood, especially a festive spread of sushi.”
Lot 50 Prosecco, $10.62 at 90 + Cellars
Lot 134 Moscato d’Asti
“Unlike many syrupy-sweet Moscato wines, this Moscato d’Asti is crisp, balanced and has just the right amount of sweetness and fizziness,” says Vankoski. “Fill a glass, and aromas of juicy peach and fragrant honey start flowing. Pair it with similarly sweet cakes and pastries, such as fruit tarts and biscuits containing almonds or dried fruit.”
Lot 134 Moscato d’Asti, $10.62 at 90+ Cellars
Lot 141 organic prosecco
“Organically farmed grapes from Northeast Italy make up this dry, fresh and crisp prosecco with youthful aromas of elderflower, citrus and juicy peach,” says Vankoski. “Serve it with a holiday charcuterie board featuring freshly sliced prosciutto and aged Parmesan.”
Lot 141 organic prosecco, $12.74 at 90+ Cellars
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