Best crémant to buy, taste tested 2026

Could crémant be France's best kept secret? Made in the same meticulous way as champagne but produced in regions beyond its famous borders, crémant offers all the finesse of fine bubbles and layered flavour, often at a far friendlier price.

Once used to describe a softer, “creamier” style of champagne, the term now refers to a diverse family of traditional-method sparkling wines made across eight French regions, each having key differences which reflect the local grapes and terroir, ranging from crisp and citrus-forward to richer styles with stronger brioche notes.

Sitting neatly between prosecco and champagne, crémant has quietly carved out a space of its own – drier, more complex than prosecco, yet far more accessible than champagne. Whether you’re already a sparkling wine devotee or simply looking to upgrade your go-to fizz, wine expert Jonathan Hatchman has rounded-up the best bottles of crémant to buy for any occasion.

For more expert wine reviews, check out our guides to the best rosé, best prosecco and best champagne.

Best crémant to buy at a glance

• Best rosé crémant: Kew Gardens Crémant de Loire Rosé Brut, £18.99
• Best champagne alternative: Hunter's Miru Miru Marlborough Brut NV, £19.99
• Best crémant de Limoux: Roche Lacour Crémant de Limoux 2022, £15.99
• Best organic crémant: Arthur Metz Crémant d'Alsace Organic Brut, £15
• Best crémant de Bourgogne: Moillard-Thomas Crémant de Bourgogne Brut, Burgundy, £17
• Best crémant de Bordeaux: Baron de Ray Crémant de Bordeaux, £15
• Best crémant for drinking with seafood: Cave de Turckheim Organic Crémant d'Alsace, £15
• Best budget crémant: Asda Extra Special Crémant d'Alsace Brut, £12
• Best crémant for drinking in the sun: Lacheteau Cremant De Loire Brut Rose, £16.25

Best crémant to buy 2026

Kew Gardens Crémant de Loire Rosé Brut

• Available from Laithwaites (£18.99)

Best rosé crémant

Star rating: 4.5/5
ABV: 12%

Laithwaites have collaborated with Kew Gardens, home to the largest living plant collection on the planet, on a small range of wines which champion lesser-known grape varieties, many of which are on the verge of extinction.

The Kew Gardens Crémant de Loire Rosé Brut is crafted by Loire Valley winemaker Pierre-Jean Sauvion who is a devotee of biodiversity and working with nature, and uses cabernet France alongside a splash of grolleau for this delicate pink sparkling wine. Bold citrus notes of grapefruit and lemon join subtle red berry (with particularly prominent strawberry) and some nice minerality and refreshing acidity. A great option for enjoying in the sun.

Available from:
Laithwaites (£18.99)

Hunter's Miru Miru Marlborough Brut NV

• Available from Laithwaites (£19.99)

Best champagne alternative

Star rating: 4.5/5
ABV: 12%

The Marlborough wine region has seen remarkable growth over the past three decades and Hunter’s Wines has played a key role in that success. As well as establishing a benchmark for classic New Zealand sauvignon blanc, Hunter’s was also the region’s second winery to ever produce sparkling wine using the traditional technique used for champagne.

Using classic champagne varietals and fermented in the bottle, the Hunter's Miru Miru Marlborough Brut NV is a bright and fresh champagne alternative, with bold pear and pineapple aromas which continue on the palate alongside green apple, brioche, lemon and peach notes on the backend. It’s rich, dry and ripe with good complexity, gentle creaminess and a long, fresh finish.

Available from:
Laithwaites (£19.99)

Roche Lacour Crémant de Limoux 2022

• Available from Laithwaites (£15.99)

Best crémant de Limoux

Star rating: 4/5
ABV: 11.5%

For more than twenty years, Roche Lacour Crémant de Limoux has been one of Laithwaite’s best-selling sparkling wines, made using the same painstaking method as Grande Marque Champagne, yet significantly less expensive. Original winemaker Laurent Mingaud is back in charge, producing wines beneath the cool hills of Limoux, where the monks of Saint Hilaire are said to have mastered sparkling wine methods in 1531.

The 2022 vintage’s blend is rich in chardonnay and pinot noir, with nearly half of the wine oak-fermented (just like Krug), providing depth and toasty complexity. Rich toasty notes are present alongside some fruit notes of ripe peach, pear and a hint of citrus, while the finish is very clean, crisp and smooth.

Available from:
Laithwaites (£15.99)

Arthur Metz Crémant d'Alsace Organic Brut

• Available from Ocado (£15)

Best organic crémant

Star rating: 4/5
ABV: 12%

A leading producer of Crémant d’Alsace, the house of Arthur Metz is renowned for taking great pride in the quality of its wines. The Arthur Metz Crémant d'Alsace Organic Brut is produced with grapes from partner vineyard owners in the villages of Dahlenheim and Balbronn, with the bottles aged on laths for between 18-24 months.

This ageing gives the crémant its complexity, with strong peach, apple and citrus notes on the palate alongside some toasted brioche, which lingers on the finish.

Available from:
Ocado (£15)

Moillard-Thomas Crémant de Bourgogne Brut, Burgundy, 2023

• Available from Majestic (£17)

Best crémant de Bourgogne

Star rating: 4/5
ABV: 12%

Having been producing wine since the 19th century, Moillard-Thomas is one of the oldest winemakers in Burgundy’s famous Côtes de Nuits. The 2023 vintage of its Crémant de Bourgogne Brut is made using the traditional method and a selection of grapes all grown in the Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais, including chardonnay, gamay and pinot noir.

The resulting wine is a bright and fresh crémant with a creamy mouthfeel and fine bubbles. Classic flavours of apple, pear and peach are accompanied by some honeycomb and white blossom on the palate, alongside gentle acidity and a satisfyingly dry finish.

Available from:
Majestic (£17)

Baron de Ray Crémant de Bordeaux

• Available from Majestic (£15)

Best crémant de Bordeaux

Star rating: 4/5
ABV: 12%

There’s more to Bordeaux wine than serious, special-occasion reds. Along with white wines from the region growing in popularity, crèmant de Bordeaux is also testament to the area’s versatility. Typically produced with sémillon and sauvignon blanc grapes shaped by Bordeaux’s mild climate and Atlantic breezes, the Baron de Ray Crémant de Bordeaux is a lively sparkling wine which uses sémillon as its primary grape variety.

Honeysuckle and orange blossom floral notes dominate the nose, joining hints of grapefruit and lemon on the palate alongside almond, biscuit, Mirabelle plum, nectarine and just a hint of white pepper. In all, it’s a complex, elegant crémant with a crisp, slightly saline finish.

Available from:
Majestic (£15)

Cave de Turckheim Organic Crémant d'Alsace

• Available from Waitrose Cellar (£15)

Best crémant for drinking with seafood

Star rating: 3.5/5
ABV: 12%

Cave de Turckheim is a co-operative which lies at the mouth of the Munster Valley, working closely with 180 partners. As well as being devoted to sustainable wine-making practices, the co-operative only produces wine from the grapes of its member growers, who are encouraged to keep yields low and to harvest the grapes by hand.

Made with auxerrois blanc, pinot gris and pinot blanc, the Cave de Turckheim organic crémant d'Alsace is a classy, elegant version of the style with a developing palate. The buttery nose gives way to prominent green apple and pear flavours alongside hints of grapefruit and lemon, melon, apricot, quince, delicate florals and notes redolent of custard cream biscuits, while the finish is creamy, long and refreshing.

Available from:
Waitrose Cellar (£15)

Asda Extra Special Crémant d'Alsace Brut 75cl

• Available from Asda (£12)

Best budget crémant

Star rating: 3.5/5
ABV: 12%

Produced by Arthur Metz, Asda's Extra Special crémant d'Alsace Brut is a pale sparkling wine with classic notes of pear, apple and peach alongside apricot and slight brioche, plus gorgeous hazelnut and almond flavours with additional faint hints of slate and oyster minerality. A slightly bitter zip of lemon arrives on the finish, which brings balance, alongside some honey sweetness, which pushes the overall flavour towards the sweeter end of the scale.

Fairly dry with a prominent richness, it’s a fine example of crémant d'Alsace, especially considering its affordable price tag.

Available from:
Asda (£12)

LaCheteau Cremant De Loire Brut Rose

• Available from Ocado (£16.25)

Best crémant for drinking in the sun

Star rating: 3.5/5
ABV: 12%

Since 1987, LaCheteau has been operating from the Loire Valley of France. Their crémant De Loire Brut Rosé reflects the region’s cool climate and diverse grape varieties, using cabernet franc from Anjou and Touraine, which gives the wine distinctive Loire character. Once ripe, the grapes are quickly harvested during the coolest time of day to preserve aromas.

Wild strawberry, cranberry, redcurrant and raspberry notes join a hint of rose, toasted brioche and a subtle citrus lift on the palate, while the finish is long with further red berry hints.

Available from:
Ocado (£16.25)

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