Best prosecco 2023: Fabulous fizz from just £7
Looking for that champagne-like fizz at a fraction of the price? This is our pick of the best prosecco from £7
Prosecco has made a bit of a comeback in recent years and some of the best prosecco is even overtaking champagne when it comes to peoples fizz of choice. Good prosecco is the perfect party drink, whether you’re celebrating a birthday, work promotion or events like Easter.
So no matter if you prefer it fruity, sweet, dry or sharp, we’ve rounded up some of our all-time favourites from cheap prosecco to the luxury stuff, as well as some unusual and organic offerings. If you’re not sure what type of prosecco you like or just want to know more so you can try something new, take a look at our buying guide. For those who already in the know, scroll on for our round-up of the very best prosecco below.
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Best prosecco: At a glance
- Best low calorie prosecco: La Gioiosa 63Kcal Prosecco
- Best single estate prosecco: Pale Fox Prosecco Superiore DOCG
- Best organic prosecco: Terra Organica Prosecco
- Best Prosecco to gift a friend: Della Vite Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore NV
How to choose the best prosecco for you
What is prosecco?
Like champagne, prosecco is a sparkling wine but while champagne comes from Champagne in France, prosecco must come from a particular area of north-eastern Italy, which spans the Veneto and Friuli regions. It also tastes quite different. Champagne is dry and acidic, prosecco is often softer and sweeter.
Prosecco is made using the glera grape; some types are made exclusively with this, while some producers blend it with additional grapes such as chardonnay. But all prosecco must, by law, contain at least 85 per cent glera.
Why is prosecco cheaper than champagne?
With champagne, a still wine is fermented for a second time in the bottle to create the fizz. But with prosecco, this second fermentation usually happens in a large pressurised tank, and the wine is filtered and bottled afterwards. This is less labour-intensive and less time-consuming, which is why it can be cheaper. It also helps explain why champagne has more mature tasting flavours, while prosecco is fresh and fruity.
What makes a good prosecco?
The letters DOCG (denominazione di origine controllata e garantita) mean that prosecco has come specifically from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene area, which is famed for its quality. There’s even a kind of “grand cru” prosecco, from the steep hills around the town of Cartizze, where a small number of vineyards are harvested by hand. Grapes here reach the ultimate ripeness and prosecco from this area tends to cost the most. Other prosecco types are marked with the letters DOC, which simply confirms that they’re from the overall prosecco-making region.
Don’t be put off by labels that say “light and fruity” – prosecco is supposed to have these characteristics. In fact, so-called “dry” prosecco is still quite sweet, and even “extra dry” still contains between 12-17g of sugar. If you want a genuinely dry wine, look out for the word Brut on the label.
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The best prosecco to buy
1. La Gioiosa 63Kcal Prosecco: Best low calorie prosecco
Price: £10 | Buy now from Ocado
If you’re counting the calories but still want to indulge in a glass (or two) of fizz, this deliciously light prosecco hits the spot. As you might expect from a low-calorie drink, it is light and fruity but it still packs a powerful punch. Despite its fruitiness, it isn’t overly sweet. In fact, we found it to be quite dry.
While this bottle claims to be 63kcal per glass, this is actually for a slightly smaller 100ml measure. A standard measure of prosecco is typically 125ml, so the calories are a tad higher if you’re following pub rules. Nonetheless, it’s still a lighter alternative to many other proseccos and a delicious fizz in its own right.
Key details – Volume: 75cl; Alcohol content:11%
2. Definition Prosecco DOC Treviso: Best heritage prosecco
Price: £12 | Buy now from Majestic Wines
Cantina Produttori di Valdobbiadene is a co-operative winery of 583 associate growers cultivating over 700 hectares of vineyards in the steep hills between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano. Established in 1952, it’s one of the oldest companies growing, processing and bottling prosecco and has made some corkers over the years, including this one that’s made from 100 per cent glera grapes and whose quality you often only find in Italy itself (remembering that Italians tend to hang onto the best stuff). It has a pale straw colour and you get the typical fruit characters of apples and pears combined with richer notes of pineapple. Enjoy as an aperitif or with antipasti.
Key details – Volume: 75cl; Alcohol content: 11%
3. Pale Fox (case of six): Best single estate prosecco
Price: £23 per bottle | Buy now from Amazon
This beautifully bottled single-estate prosecco is an absolute gem. Made with Glera grapes, Pale Fox is grown in The Valley of the Foxes in Italy and is one of only two regions in the country to have a superior DOCG designation. It’s wonderfully complex, and unlike a lot of cheaper options isn’t overly sweet or acidic.
Instead, the taste is dry, crisp and clean, with good minerality at the end. There are delicate floral notes with hints of green apple and this, along with its super-fine bubbles creates an exceptionally refreshing drinking experience. It’s on the pricy side, but well worth it for any special occasions or parties.
Key details – Volume: 6 x 75cl; Alcohol content: 11%
4. Van Hunks Sparkling Mead: Best prosecco alternative
Price: £25 | Buy now from Amazon
Whether you think you’re a fan of mead or not, this sparkling version of the popular medieval tipple is an absolute must-try. There are two versions: classic sparkling mead and sparkling rosé mead, both of which are wonderfully unique.
Each version has a dry, aromatic taste and the classic, in particular, isn’t overly sweet at all. The traditional mead flavour is subtle but still comes through enough to differentiate it from other sparkling wines, which is why we think it’s a great prosecco alternative. Better still, Van Hunks use the same fermentation, riddling and disgorgement techniques as traditional champagne, meaning the final product comes out beautifully balanced and crisp.
Key details – Volume: 75cl; Alcohol content: 12%
5. Terra Organica Prosecco: Best organic prosecco
Price: £14 | Buy now from Ocado
This light and dry prosecco is not only very quaffable but also made from chemical and pesticide-free grapes. We loved how refreshing this was, with a strong zesty lemon flavour as well as hints of peach and apple. We think this is one to enjoy on its own ideally but we also tested it in a cocktail with Aperol and as a mixer with orange juice, and it worked fantastically well in both. If you prefer to buy organic, then this is definitely one to add to your next shopping list.
Key details – Volume: 75cl; Alcohol content: 11%
6. Freixenet Prosecco: A great prosecco for sharing with friends
Price: £12 | Buy now from Tesco
This one definitely wins the prize for the jazziest bottle in our roundup – and it tastes light, fruity and fresh. Made only with glera grapes, it offers floral, apple, peach and citrus aromas, and a crisp and delicate fruitiness in the mouth, with the ripe apple and zesty citrus combining beautifully with the sweeter apricot and peach. The bubbles are finer and more long-lasting than with many proseccos, making this the perfect fizz to stock up on over the festive period and beyond.
Key details – Volume: 75cl; Alcohol content: 11%
7. Waitrose NV, Glera, Italian, Prosecco: A versatile prosecco with a purse-friendly price tag
Price: £7 | Buy now from Waitrose
This is refreshing, yet fruity, and particularly smooth. It’s also versatile – working as well on its own as for cocktails. And if you love spicy foods, we think this is a wonderful accompaniment. You get floral and fruity aromas – think wisteria and apples – while the flavour has a slightly almond taste. It’s nice and light, while not being as sweet as some, and stands out in a crowd, particularly at this lower end of prosecco price tags. In short, an excellent value fresh prosecco that is suitable for pretty much any occasion.
Key details – Volume: 75cl; Alcohol content: 11%
8. Bottega Rose Gold Prosecco: A perfect sparkling wine to pair with desserts
Price: £19 | Buy now from Amazon
This sparkling wine gets top marks for aesthetics. With its metallic, shimmery, rose gold casing, the Bottega Rose Gold Prosecco makes for a striking bottle and gift, and is an obvious choice for a hen do or Valentine’s date. But is it a case of style over substance? Fortunately, not. This off-dry, fresh and graceful rosé goes down a treat all on its own – or with cakes or puddings – thanks to its floral aromas, subtle berry flavours and creaminess. Made from Pinot Noir grapes from the Lombardy region, it’s a real corker and easily justifies its higher-end price tag.
Key details – Volume: 75cl; Alcohol content: 11.5%
9. Della Vite Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore NV: Best Prosecco to gift a friend
Price: £19 | Buy now from Vivino
This sexy looking bottle comes courtesy of the Delevingne sisters, who have worked together with a three-generation winemaking family in the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene hills to produce a stellar bottle of Prosecco. Della Vite isn’t just your run-of-the-mill celeb wine venture, this stuff is properly good and we’re not the only ones to think so. It was voted the number one Prosecco under £30 by Vivino’s community of 54 million opinionated wine lovers, beating hundreds of bottles of English fizz, Champagne and Prosecco.
A shining example of Extra Dry (slightly sweeter than the Brut variety) and made from the iconic Glera grapes, this DOCG Prosecco has a beautiful fine and creamy mousse, lots of orchard fruit and delicate florals. It’s fermented for 30 days longer than legally required, which gives it a luxurious, super-rich brioche flavour more commonly found in Champagne. Oh, and it’s vegan too.
Key details – Volume: 75cl; Alcohol content: 11.5%