THE taste of some own-brand supermarket champagnes is better than some leading bubbly, according to Which?
The test by the consumer champion saw drink experts pit bargain bottles from high street chains against major brands such as Moët & Chandon.
While the list was topped by the £31.91 Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne Brut NV, which scored 90 pe
r cent; close behind was Sainsbury's Blanc de Noirs Champagne Brut NV, which scored 89 per cent and sells for about £16.
H Blin & Co Champagne Brut NV, which costs £24.99 from Oddbins, also scored 89 per cent.
A brand carried by the Co-Op, meanwhile, the £15.55 Les Pionniers Champagne Brut, received a mark of 88 per cent.
One disappointment was Moët & Chandon's Brut NV, which came 13th out of the 14 champagnes tested, scoring 79 per cent. The experts were not impressed by its "slightly medicinal" aroma and "aggressive acidity".
Which? also compared sparkling wines and found the £8.99 Bluff Hill Brut (87 per cent) from M&S to be the best. The "vibrant citrus" scent and "well-balanced and refreshing" flavour impressed the experts.
Graham Beck Brut from Waitrose also performed well (86 per cent, £12.99).
The Griffiths Park Sparkling Brut (85 per cent), available from Morrisons and Asda, and Aldi's Philippe Michel Crémant du Jura Brut (85 per cent) were both scored as exceptional value at under £7.
