The 10 Best Cheap Champagnes to Drink in 2023

Wine is a staple of celebration, but in the department of rowdy merriment, no wine rises to the occasion like the almighty Champagne. And to be clear, you’ve got to take the word “Cheap” with a grain of salt when it comes to this list of 10 of the “Best Cheap” bottles I’d recommend. “Cheap Champagne,” if it’s also going to classify as “Best” in my world-view is anything under $50 or $60 per bottle, but not so low as about $25, unless it’s discounted—and if it is, lucky you!

The best Champagnes come from the best Champagne houses, which have access to the best vineyards, the best winemakers, and winemaking techniques passed down from generation to generation. You really can’t get that quality for much less than $40, again, unless frankly, it’s on sale. So, get with it! Pony up. We’re talking awesome bubbly here, from France. And one of the bottles featured on this list is Ruinart. Those of you who know Ruinart are thinking, ‘How?!’ Easy, I cheated and found a half-bottle up for grabs. 

I even asked Ruinart’s Chef de Caves (cellar master), Frédéric Panaïotis, to tell me what he thinks makes for a world-class bubbly, and he explained his thoughts through the lens of a bottle of Ruinart. “What I love most about our Ruinart Rosé is its versatility,” he opined—as a way of suggesting that the best Champagne is quite versatile—before adding, “Its lifted and fragrant nose of tropical fruits, fresh berries, sweet flowers makes it a great aperitif, as it will trigger your senses and prepare you for a wonderful meal, which makes it quite easy to pair throughout the meal—with appetizers, main course, and dessert.”

Echoing Panaïotis, Philippe André, Charles Heidsieck’s US brand ambassador says that “Champagne is pound for pound the greatest pairing wine you have never paired,” and he may be right if you haven’t enjoyed some champers alongside, as André suggests, “tacos, burgers, fried chicken, dim sum, ramen, French fries, and pizza. They all work because the balance of fruit, acidity, and effervescence that makes Champagne so refreshing, pairs perfectly with some of the most intense flavors you can think of.”

Like André, most sommeliers will tell you that their go-to bottle after working the floor is Champagne. So, as Andre suggests, “Find you a wine that looks back at you the way Somms look at Champagne!” Our go-to bottle is Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut, from winemakers with a long history of excellence.

Here are the best cheap bottles of Champagne to help you do just that.