Best Champagne Under £50

Seek out Grower Champagne. These are Champagnes made by growers rather than the large Champagne houses. Bottles marked RM (Récoltant Manipulant) are made and marketed by growers using grapes exclusively from their own vineyards, and can be a fascinating way to discover individual producers, villages and vineyards.

Don't overlook Brut Non-Vintage. Brut NV Champagne can offer an excellent combination of quality, consistency and value. Producers can blend wines from different years to maintain their preferred style, while Brut tells you that the finished Champagne contains less than 12g of sugar per litre.

For us, Grower Champagne is the best place to look for value. Smaller producers don't necessarily carry the marketing costs associated with the world's biggest Champagne brands, while giving you the opportunity to explore individual growers and terroirs.

It's also worth looking beyond Champagne's most famous villages. The Côte des Bar, in the southern Aube, is particularly interesting for Pinot Noir-dominant Champagne and is home to many exciting growers. Champagne itself is divided into four principal wine-growing areas: the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and Côte des Bar.

Champagne is one of the most versatile wines at the table. Its high acidity can cut through rich and fatty foods, while the bubbles refresh the palate between bites. Different styles open up even more possibilities:

Blanc de Blancs — oysters, scallops, sushi and delicate seafood
Blanc de Noirs — mushroom risotto, roast duck and richer meat dishes
Rosé Champagne — charcuterie, salmon and lightly spiced dishes
Demi-Sec — fruit tarts, cheesecake and other desserts
Vintage Champagne — lobster, game birds, mushroom and truffle dishes, or aged Comté