Does affordable Champagne still exist?

Sometimes only Champagne will do. And if budget's a factor, where do you go for a great-value, great-tasting buy at up to £40 a bottle?

- TOM HEWSON

It's no secret that Champagne prices in the UK have shot up since the Covid pandemic. A recent report by consultancy firm Wine Lister found that between December 2021 and December 2024, prices increased by 21% among 15 top-selling brands. This is considerably larger than for any other sparkling wine type.

In 2024, Champagne sales declined significantly, by 9.2% overall and 10.8% in export markets. In trying to explain this slump, Maxime Toubart, president of Champagne's grower association SGV (whose members sell their grapes to Champagne houses), accused the houses of 'disproportionate' price rises compared to the prices paid to grape-growers. Houses will argue that small and difficult vintages, such as 2021, and significant cost increases in areas such as energy, vineyard work and shipping, have led to these price rises.