Sparkling wine. Synonymous with celebration, luxury, and good times. But don't make the mistake of saving it only for special occasions — the best bubbles are too good to wait. Here are five sparkling wines that you absolutely must try before you die.
These aren't just wines with bubbles. They're wines with extraordinary stories. English Sparkling Wine exists because of a scientific rivalry — English glass-makers developed bottles strong enough to survive secondary fermentation before the French did, and the wine world has never quite recovered from the irony. Prestige Cuvée Champagne owes much of its modern form to a 19th-century widow, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, who invented riddling, created the first vintage Champagne, and built a global empire at a time when women had almost no business rights. Lambrusco nearly destroyed its own reputation with a flood of cheap, sweet, low-quality exports in the 1970s and 80s — the real thing, dry and food-friendly and genuinely magnificent, had to claw its way back from oblivion. Every wine on this list has earned its place.
Sparkling wine is the most saved, most deferred, most "I'll open that when something special happens" wine in existence. The truth is that the best bubbles are too good to save. As Len Evans's Theory of Consumption reminds us: you only have so many good drinking occasions left — don't use them on whatever's gathering dust on the shelf. Open the good stuff. Tonight counts.
Ten Second Summary
- Best to start with: Prosecco or Moscato d'Asti — both approachable, affordable, and instantly crowd-pleasing.
- Best value: Prosecco delivers real elegance without Champagne prices. Lambrusco with a charcuterie board is one of the great affordable wine-and-food moments.
- Most prestigious: Prestige Cuvée Champagne — Krug, Dom Pérignon, Cristal, Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill. The pinnacle of sparkling wine, full stop.
- Best food pairing: Moscato d'Asti with white chocolate is one of the great wine and food pairings. Lambrusco with charcuterie is another.
- Why drink these 5: Because sparkling wine has more history, drama, and remarkable characters behind it than almost any other wine style — and because life is too short to save the good stuff for later.
What's on this page
The 5 Best Sparkling Wines to Try Before You Die
- Prestige Cuvée Champagne
Prestige Cuvée Champagne is the pinnacle of luxury beverages. The crème de la crème. Krug, Dom Pérignon, Cristal, Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill — these are the names that define what sparkling wine can be at its absolute finest. - English Sparkling Wine
Believe it or not, the English invented sparkling wine. It's your duty to try some. Don't worry — it really is world-class stuff, and the look on people's faces when you tell them who invented it is worth the price of the bottle alone. - Lambrusco
Drinking a good Lambrusco with a charcuterie platter is one of life's heavenly yet simple and affordable pleasures. Forget the cheap, sweet, mass-market stuff from the 1980s — the real Lambrusco is dry, dark, and extraordinary. - Prosecco
Prosecco might not have all the fanfare of Champagne but it is refined simplicity at its best and utterly enjoyable. Not cheap Champagne — something different, and proud of it. - Moscato d'Asti
Drink Moscato d'Asti with Lindt White Chocolate balls — it is the best wine and food pairing, bar none. Gently fizzy, low in alcohol, honeyed, and perfumed. The perfect ending to any meal.
Where to Start
Start at the approachable end: Prosecco is one of the most recognised sparkling wines in the world — light, fresh, fruit-forward, and easy to enjoy at almost any occasion. Moscato d'Asti is the perfect entry point for anyone who finds dry sparkling wine a little austere — gently sweet, low in alcohol, and extraordinary with dessert.
From there, branch out to the unexpected: English Sparkling Wine is the talking point on this list — the story alone is worth the bottle — and the quality genuinely matches the world's best. Lambrusco is the wild card: pair it with a charcuterie board, pour it slightly chilled, and watch people who thought they didn't like Lambrusco change their minds.
Then, when the moment calls for it, go for Prestige Cuvée Champagne. Find the right bottle — Krug, Dom Pérignon, Pol Roger Winston Churchill, or Cristal — find the right occasion, and savour every sip. This is what sparkling wine looks like at the very top of its game. It earns the reputation.
Best sparkling wines FAQ
Which sparkling wine is the best?
The best sparkling wine in the world is widely considered to be a great Prestige Cuvée Champagne — Krug Grande Cuvée, Dom Pérignon, Cristal, and Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill are among the most celebrated bottles on the planet. But "best" depends on the moment: Champagne is the benchmark, but Prosecco at an aperitivo, Lambrusco with charcuterie, and Moscato d'Asti with dessert all have strong claims to being the best wine for their particular occasion.
What is the king of sparkling wine?
The king of sparkling wine is Champagne — the original, the benchmark, and the name synonymous with celebration and luxury worldwide. Among Champagne itself, Krug is often called the king for the extraordinary depth and complexity of its non-vintage Grande Cuvée. Prestige Cuvée Champagne as a category is where you find the absolute pinnacle of what bubbles can achieve.
Is Prosecco just cheap Champagne?
Prosecco is not cheap Champagne — it is a completely different wine made from a different grape (Glera) in a different country (Italy) using a different method (tank fermentation rather than bottle fermentation). Prosecco has its own character: lighter, fruitier, and more approachable than Champagne, and designed to be enjoyed young and fresh. It is not trying to be Champagne, and the best Prosecco doesn't need to be. Think of it as refined simplicity — and appreciate it for what it is, not what it isn't.
What is poor man's Champagne?
"Poor man's Champagne" usually refers to either Prosecco or Cava — both sparkling wines made in a similar style to Champagne but at a fraction of the price. Prosecco comes from northern Italy; Cava comes from Spain and is made using the traditional method (same as Champagne) from local grape varieties. Both can be excellent value. But the better answer is: stop thinking of them as a substitute for something else and start appreciating them on their own terms.
Who is the queen of Champagne?
The queen of Champagne is Barbe-Nicole Clicquot — known as the Veuve Clicquot (meaning "the Widow Clicquot") — who took over the family Champagne house after her husband's death in 1805 and turned it into one of the most famous names in wine. She invented riddling (the technique of gradually rotating and tilting bottles to clarify Champagne), created the first known vintage Champagne, and pioneered exports across Europe. She was a remarkable businesswoman in an era when women had almost no legal business rights. Veuve Clicquot's flagship Prestige Cuvée, La Grande Dame, is named in her honour.
How do I choose a sparkling wine?
Choosing a sparkling wine starts with the occasion and the budget. For a special celebration, go for Prestige Cuvée Champagne — it earns its reputation. For a relaxed aperitif or party, Prosecco is hard to beat for price and easy enjoyment. For something food-friendly and unusual, try Lambrusco with charcuterie or Moscato d'Asti with dessert. If you want to impress with a talking point, English Sparkling Wine consistently surprises people who didn't know it existed. Universal rule: buy the best you can afford for the occasion.
What was Jackie Kennedy's favourite Champagne?
Jackie Kennedy's favourite Champagne was reportedly Billecart-Salmon — specifically the rosé — which she is said to have requested at White House events. Whether entirely true or embellished with time, it is the kind of story that makes Prestige Cuvée Champagne unique among sparkling wines: no other category has this much history, glamour, celebrity, and royal pedigree in the glass.
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