Whether it is a celebratory toast, a sophisticated ingredient for a cocktail or simply something classic to quaff in a bar, champagne is the indisputable queen of all alcoholic drinks. And the good news for everyone this Christmas and beyond is that you don't necessarily have to spend a small fortune to enjoy some bubbles. A recent report for the consumer magazine Which? found that a supermarket chain's own brand of champagne managed to beat off its significantly more expensive and better-known rivals in a blind tasting test. A panel of seven expert wine connoisseurs voted Tesco's £12.99 Premier Cru Champagne Brut NV as the best from a list of 24 champagnes and 11 sparkling wines. Famous brand Moet and Chandon, priced at £20.74, came 13th, and not far behind in only 12th position was Bollinger, a traditional Ab Fab favourite and the most expensive champagne tasted at £27.99. Veuve Clicquot at £23.99 fared slightly better by finishing in 11th place but it is clear that the price you pay for a bottle of bubbly is not always directly related to the quality and taste. "The most expensive champagnes didn't necessarily stand out, and the famous names in our tastings came quite a way down the ranking , proving you don't have to splash out on a well known wine label," says David Whitely, spokesman for Which? Magazine. So what should we be looking for when it comes to buying that special bottle of champagne? Stephen Barrett, Wine and Food Writer and member of the exclusive Circle of Wine Writers, says that there are three main factors to consider: "If you are looking for an off-the-shelf wine do check that the bottle and packaging has not been damaged in any way, make sure that it has not been kept near light as this can harm the champagne, and always go for the best that you can afford in your price range to ensure persistence of flavour and quality." Barrett is a great fan of buying supermarket brands within a certain price bracket but he also recommends spending a bit of time looking for good deals on the more famous names since his maxim is that ageing always equals great champagne: "Carol Duval-Leroy Winemakers are one of the oldest and most respected French champagne houses who also make a range of three champagnes for Sainsbury's own brand - they are very feminine, fruity and leafy wines." "On a budget I'd tend to go for the Sainsbury's brands, in the mid-range bracket try Billiecairt-Salmon at around £22 from Oddbins, but if you really want to splash out on the ultimate bottle of champagne there is nothing like Krug at around £75 - it is a wonderfully complex wine that is oak-aged and rested for up to six years," he adds. However Malcolm Gluck, Wine Correspondent author of Superplonk 2003 (Hodder and Stoughton £9.99), disagrees: "Champagne has a kudos which in many cases it just doesn't deserve - the idea that champagne is the best wine in the world is ludicrous and our perceptions are purely based on a brilliant French marketing myth." Gluck thinks that the Which? survey findings are spot on and argues that spending a packet on expensive champagnes is simply a waste of time: "For years I have bought own brand blanc de noir champagne from Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Sainsbury's and then just put them in the cellar for a couple of years to mature," he says. "The fact that super-premium champagnes are so expensive has nothing whatsoever to do with quality and it reminds me of Emperor's New Clothes - nobody dares to say it's rubbish for fear of looking foolish. "The world is full of idiots, especially men, that think spending a great deal of cash on wine is a sexy thing when in fact champagne is just another sparkling wine from a different region," he reasons. Instead Gluck recommends either Tesco's and Sainsbury's own label champagne or a good quality sparkling wine, whatever the occasion: "I would advise people to consider buying sparkling wines such as Pelorus, the premium quality label of Cloudy Bay Vineyards in New Zealand, because the quality of the grapes is so much higher," Indeed many sparkling wines, including Spanish Cava and the New World wines, are created using exactly the same production methods employed in making champagne - the only real difference is the region in which they are made and the resultant pricing. Among the best are Lindauer Special Reserve from £7.19 at Majestic, Oddbins and Tesco, Jansz Brut at £10.99 at Oddbins, or the excellent English sparkling wines from Ridgeview estate in Sussex. For up-to-the minute advice on the best affordable wines in our supermarket and high street chains check out www.Superplonk.com. Alternatively visit www.stephenbarrett.com to find out more about tastings, courses and wine holidays. | 
