Don’t bottle it up – let your hair down with glass of sparkling wine

These fabulous fizzes are worth a pop at £23 and under, says Sam Wylie-Harris

There’s something special about popping the cork on a bottle of fizz, especially when 250 million bubbles rise to the occasion – the average amount in a bottle of sparkling wine. And with the summer social season finally in full swing (depending on the rules, of course) and our parks looking greener than a vineyard, there couldn’t be a better time to spark up the garden party atmosphere with a glass of something fizzy.

Here’s how to style up your sparkling repertoire with a heaven-sent hiss...

1. M&S FOUND BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX NV, FRANCE, £10, MARKS & SPENCER STORES

Deliciously inviting and fresh, summer meadow notes and uplifting flavours of ripe apples and pears alongside a very subtle biscuity note make this easy, breezy blanquette (made from the local mauzac grape) one for our gold list. Cited by Decanter magazine as a “Must-Try Fizz”, it’s one of 12 wines in M&S’s new-ish and nifty Found range (all £10 or under). We love it and so will you.

2. SOLPIANTEZ SPUMANTE BRUT MILLESIMATO 2019, ITALY, £10.99, VIRGIN WINES

For a taste of la dolce vita, this fragrant spumante makes a delightful alternative to prosecco. Scented with white flowers and apple blossom, followed by charming orchard fruits, pear notes and a touch of lemon sherbet, it’s delicate and crisp with a fine mousse and persistent finish. One for aperitivo drinking... bellissima!

3. FREIXENET PROSECCO DOC, ITALY, £12, TESCO

This perfectly pitched prosecco from Spanish cava giant Freixenet is a fitting choice for stay-at-home soirees, with its striking Insta-friendly cut-glass bottle and cascade of zesty lemon fruit, with hints of green apple and peach, white flower aromas, citrus acidity and lots of lovely freshness. Absolutely delicious.

4. JANSZ ROSE BRUT NV, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA, £17.95, SLURP

A trailblazer for sparkling wine Down Under, Jansz turn out top-notch fizz in this wine lover’s paradise, where the quality rivals champagne. Utterly gorgeous; rose petal aromas and a fine, creamy mousse lends real finesse, with tiers of strawberry and citrus fruits, the merest hint of nougat, with fresh acidity lending crispness on the finish. Beautiful and super stylish.

5. CHAPEL DOWN BACCHUS 2020, KENT, ENGLAND, £17.99, WAITROSE

Elderflower season may be coming to a close, but you can still drink in the fragrant British countryside with this aromatic English fizz. With a delightful floral character and enticing aromas of elderflower and tropical fruits, freshly cut grassy notes sit alongside hints of pineapple, with elderflower nuances streaming through to the fab, fruity finish. Fresh as a daisy – or should that be elderflower blossom!

6. VAN HUNKS MCC BRUT ROSE SPARKLING WINE, STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA, £20, VAN HUNKS DRINKS

A little stunner from the Cape Winelands, this rose is one of two new traditional method wines (Methode Cape Classique, MCC) from Villiera, who produce some of the Cape’s most popular sparkling wines. Elegant and complex, there’s a range of red berry fruits on show, with a beguiling, savoury, earthy note from a portion of pinotage (South Africa’s signature red grape) in the chardonnay/ pinot noir blend, finishing long and fresh. Beautifully made and a must for celebratory ice-buckets.

7. ADNAMS ENGLISH SPARKLING CLASSIC CUVEE 2015, ENGLAND, £22.99, ADNAMS

A gold nugget in Adnams’ impressive library of own-label wines, this vibrant vintage fizz spends extended time on the lees and highlights everything we love about English bubbly. Bright and lifted, florals mingle with aromas of baked apples and custard, followed by attractive flavours of orchard fruits, a toasty, biscuity note and a beautifully fresh lemon curd character. Fizz fanatics will love its straight-down-the-line deliciousness.