Prosecco’s bubble could be about to burst. The trendy Italian tipple, regarded by many as a cut-price alternative to champagne, is in danger of being supplanted by a bargain fizz from the country that started it all.
According to Sainsbury’s, a lightly bubbled Cremant de Loire NV that it began selling at £9 a bottle last month is flying off the shelves.
The supermarket predicts it will sell nearly 40% more French Cremant than it initially forecast over Christmas and new year.
While Prosecco remains popular, critics have complained that high demand for the wine has affected quality and created shortages.
“Those in the know have been quietly sipping Cremant for years,” said Will Lyons, the Sunday Times wine critic.
Advertisement
“Essentially it refers to any French sparkling wine made in the same way as champagne outside of that famous old region. I have enjoyed superb examples from the Loire, Alsace, the Jura and even Bordeaux this year.”
The Majestic wine warehouse said the Loire Cremants it first sold last year had proved “incredibly popular”.
Other pretenders to Prosecco’s affordable bubbly crown include Lambrusco from Italy and Spanish Cava.
Sales of sparkling wines in Britain are estimated to have nearly doubled from 17.6m gallons in 2011 to 31.6m gallons this year.
The last weekday before Christmas — this Friday — is expected to be the busiest bubbly-buying day of the year.