11 best proseccos for all budgets, taste tested by a wine expert

The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us? 11 best proseccos for all budgets, taste tested by a wine expert From budget bubbles to organic fizz, these are the proseccos to stock up on You can’t say that prosecco isn’t popular. Some 667 million bottles of the sparkling (or in some cases semi-sparkling) wine from Italy were sold globally in 2025 at a cost of more than £3bn. And while the largest export market is the US, the UK remains the second most important with 36 per cent of the global consumption. You can see why so many people like it. It’s light, fruity, refreshing, has slightly less alcohol than champagne and, above all, is relatively inexpensive. Some will also say that prosecco is actually good for you. The natural trace elements it contains – zinc, magnesium and potassium – can boost your mood, while polyphenols, the plant chemicals from red and white grapes found in prosecco, increase the availability of nitric oxide which controls blood pressure. Others may complain that it’s too sweet. This may be because the labelling of the wine can be confusing. If it is called “extra dry” that means there will be some sweetness there. If you want a prosecco that is less sweet and drier, then look for those labelled “brut”. There are also two sets of initials to note. DOCG or Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita signifies superior quality, the following strict rules during production and government approval. DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) is the next level and guarantees that the wine comes from a specific geographical area. Both classifications should guarantee excellent quality. So, with a huge range of prosecco available from supermarket shelves to specialist wine stores, there are bottles to suit every taste. Here we look at the best examples of this party favourite. Read more: Best champagnes, taste tested The best proseccos for 2026 are: - Best overall – Della Vite Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG: £22, Sainsburys.co.uk - Best budget buy – Il Papavero DOC: £9.99, Laithwaites.co.uk - Best luxury choice – Superiore di Cartizze DOCG: £24.50, Corneyandbarrow.com - Best organic choice – Terra Organica DOC: £12.95, Ocado.com - Best vino frizzante choice – Wild Thing Organic DOC: £13.99, Vintageroots.co.uk Read more: Best white wines for sipping this summer and beyond 1Della Vite Valdobbiadene Superiore Prosecco DOCG - Best prosecco overall Valdobbiadene is the name to remember. Believed to derive from the Latin “vallis ad bene" or “valley of goodness”, it’s the area in Italy’s Veneto region where the finest proseccos are to be found. Made exclusively from the hand-picked glera grape, this example has earned the select DOCG status, the highest classification for Italian wines, signifying superior quality, the observance of strict production rules and government-mandated approval. Extra dry, which in the slightly confusing world of wine-speak actually means that there’s a little sweetness there; it’s also crisp, fruity and elegant with a delicate mousse and that easy-drinking, happy valley appeal. Key specifications - ABV: 11.5% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Extra Dry 2Il Papavero DOC - Best budget prosecco Italian winemaker Scipione Giuliani knows a thing or two about prosecco. His hometown is Conegliano in the Veneto region and the heart of prosecco production in Italy. He has sourced the grapes from his local growers and produced a brut prosecco that’s chock full of fresh apple and pear flavours along with beguiling floral notes. Bright, refreshing and so very drinkable, it’s a great party choice and compares well with more expensive proseccos. Key specifications - ABV: 10.5% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Brut 3Le Colture Superiore di Cartizze DOCG - Best luxury prosecco Another Valdobbiadene prosecco with a DOCG rating made from glera grapes from a vineyards nestled between the steep local hills. Rumour has it, that the vineyards were so high up and inaccessible that by the time the grapes were eventually picked they had become over-ripe, which was a good thing as it resulted in wines, like this one, with huge, concentrated apricot and peach flavours tempered by notes of blossom. In common with all prosecco wines, it’s produced using the Charmat method where the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in pressurised stainless steel tanks rather than the bottle. Slightly sweeter than most (hence the “dry” rather than “extra dry” rating) it’s a wine to sip and savour. Key specifications - ABV: 11.5% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Dry 4Terra Organica DOC - Best organic prosecco Terra Organica was formed with the aim of sourcing the best organic wines from responsible producers. In Italy, they have come up trumps with a DOC extra dry prosecco from Veneto producers Casa Vinicola Botter that fulfils all the organic criteria and tastes splendid too. Again, it’s that orchard blend of pear and apple that predominates, helped along by fresh blossom and floral notes. Note, too, that its abv is on the low side. Terra Organica is also helping the planet by donating to one per cent of it turnover to 1% for the Planet, a global network that aids environmental organisations. Key specifications - ABV: 10% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Extra Dry 5Wild Thing Organic DOC - Best vino frizzante prosecco Here’s a prosecco for animal lovers. A donation from every bottle sold of this vino frizzante (semi-sparkling) prosecco goes towards the Born Free Foundation, an organisation that opposes the exploitation of wild animals and benefits welfare projects around the world. And you’ll be able to toast them with a prosecco that has softer bubbles but still very vibrant orchard flavours with notes of stone fruit and white blossom. Eminently drinkable, it might have less immediate impact than a vino spumante but a more lasting appeal as a lightly sparkling and flavourful wine that’s ideal as a summer aperitivo. Key specifications - ABV: 11% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Extra Dry 6Raphael Dal Bo Raffaello DOC - Best introduction to prosecco Forget those mass-produced proseccos that can be too sweet and sickly and try a fresh but elegant offering from Treviso that’s close to the historic towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in the Veneto region. A product of the Raphael dal Bo winery which has been certified organic since 2009, this extra dry DOC wine combines apple-rich flavours with floral notes and an insistent but refined mousse. A light-bodied wine that’s enjoyable by itself or one that can act as an excellent partner to light summer meals of chicken or charcuterie. Key specifications - ABV: 11% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Extra Dry 7Valdo Elevantum Superiore DOCG - Best priced DOCG prosecco Just to remind you, a DOCG rating (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is Italy’s highest and strictest wine qualification, so to get a DOCG prosecco for under £15 is a bargain. We’re back in the lofty or “elevantum” hills of Valdobbiadene, some 200m to 400m above sea level, for this aromatic prosecco with its prominent green apple and ripe pear flavours along with notes of blossom and a slight touch of citrus. Made using the Charmat method it rests for five months on the lees in stainless steel tanks and then for at least two months in the bottle. Key specifications - ABV: 10.5% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Extra Dry 8Il Follo Treviso Spumante DOC - Best prosecco for parties The story goes that winemaker Luca Follador on his first trip to the States arrived at the distributor's office unshaven, in tight blue jeans and a tight white T-shirt, because he said, “this is what the girls like”. If that’s the party vibe he hopes his brut prosecco promotes, then he could be right. There are crisp apple and stone fruit flavours here, with hints of citrus and blossom that should make it a definite choice for an outdoor summer party or barbecue. Just remember that similar dress rules aren’t obligatory. Key specifications - ABV: 11.5% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Brut 9Pasqua Romeo & Juliet DOC - Best prosecco for a romantic evening What could be more romantic? A prosecco from Verona that bears a picture of the city’s famous Juliet wall where generations of young couples left their messages. We don’t know how many engagements followed but if they wanted to toast their love then this brut prosecco from the family-owned Pasqua winery founded just over a century ago is an excellent choice. A DOC wine sourced from glera grapes from the Treviso region, it’s bright and softly sparkling with bucketloads of apple and fruit flavours helped along with floral notes and a hint of citrus. Key specifications - ABV: 11% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness ranking: Brut 10Waitrose No.1 Rive Di San Pietro Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG - Best supermarket own brand prosecco By this time you should be getting used to the names Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, and the DOCG rating, and realising that it all adds up to prosecco wines that are something special. This brut prosecco marks a partnership between Waitrose and family winemakers Il Colle. They harvest the grapes in a series of 43 micro-terroirs of steep hillside vineyards where the grapes can only be hand-picked and make this prosecco exclusively for Waitrose. It’s no surprise that orchard-ripe flavours of pear and apple dominate, and the brut classification adds that savoury zip. It’s elegant but also robust enough to partner spiced Asian dishes. Key specifications - ABV: 11% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness rating: Brut 11Cantine Maschio Extra Dry DOC - Best free-run prosecco Free run? Well, it’s nothing to with pounding pavements in your shorts and trainers but everything to do with creating what some call “the purest expression of wine”. What it means, simply, is not pressing the grapes but letting gravity do the job instead. The natural free-run juice then goes on to result in an elegant and fresh sparkling wine that escapes the bitter compounds that could have come its way. Lots of ripe fruit flavours here with zesty apple and ripe peach doing the heavy lifting. Key specifications - ABV: 10.5% - Region: Veneto, Italy - Size: 750ml - Sweetness rating: Extra Dry Your questions about prosecco answered What is the best prosecco? A range of excellent proseccos here at prices which won’t break the bank. If you like it sweet, then the Le Colture Superiore di Cartizze gives you that honeyed appeal while still tasting fresh, fruity and vibrant. Those who prefer something more dry should enjoy No.1 Rive Di San Pietro Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore with its orchard flavours and savoury zing. If you’re looking for organic wine, then Terra Organica and Wild Thing Organic both fit the bill nicely. But overall, Della Vite Valdobbiadene Superiore came out on top with a prosecco that was bold, bright and eminently drinkable. How I tested proseccos All the proseccos were sampled after being well-chilled in the refrigerator for at least three to four hours before serving. The ideal temperature for serving is between 6-8C. Here is what I wanted to check on: - Taste: Prosecco should be fresh and vibrant with crisp fruity flavours, usually of apple and pear, to the fore backed by aromas of blossom and citrus. Dry prosecco shouldn't be too sweet and brut prosecco shouldn't be too sharp. The bubbles need to caress the palate and add to overall enjoyment of the wine. - Affordability: Most proseccos are moderately priced but for some more luxury examples cost the same as a bottle of champagne. Are you getting value for your money? - Uniformity: The last glass to be poured from a bottle of prosecco should taste as good as the first. The wine needs to retain its freshness and vitality however long the party lasts. - Attractiveness: Champagne glasses were used to gauge the hue of the wine and the consistency of the bubbles. - Flexibility: Is prosecco simply a wine to enjoyed by itself or can it partner a light or even an Asian meal? What do the different labels mean? Read the labels carefully – all prosecco should be made largely from the glera grape and hail from certain areas of the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions of northern Italy. - DOC stands for ‘designation of controlled origin’, which denotes standard prosecco. It’s readily identifiable from the blue stripe on the label at the top and accounts for the vast bulk of prosecco made. - DOCG stands for ‘designation of controlled origin and guaranteed’. This is superior and is indicated by the brown label on the top of a bottle. It can only be made in the Treviso province of Veneto on the hills between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. - Spumante tells you it’s the fizziest of prosecco, but remember that other Italian sparkling wines, made from different grapes in different areas, can also be labelled vino spumante without being prosecco. - Frizzante simply means the fizz is less intense. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews John Clarke draws on his lifelong passion for wine to compile reviews and guides on the wide range of wines available to consumers. He started writing wine and spirit reviews for The Independent more than 10 years ago, and has discussed everything from port and whisky to rosé wine and more for IndyBest. He put his extensive knowledge to good use when testing a wide range of proseccos for this review, offering his verdict on which bottles are worth your money. For more sparkling vinos, check out our review of the best champagnes Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks