Wine: The top ten festive sparklers

UNDER £8SAINSBURY'S ASTI NV(£4.79, Sainsbury's)Surprisingly gluggable if you have a sweet tooth; creamy and smooth - but avoid this Asti from Piedmont if you prefer your fizz dry.

WAITROSE CAVA NV

(6.99, reduced from 8.99, Waitrose until 7 Dec)

Chart topper in our supermarket Cava tasting - citrus and peardrop aromas, light toasty notes - a consistently good performer.

PROSECCO LA MARCA CUVEE NV

(7.99, reduced from 11.99, Majestic Wine until Monday)

People often ask why Prosecco has become so popular; if you taste this appley, smooth delicate Venetian you will see why.

UNDER 15

GRAHAM BECK BRUT NV

(11.99, Fine Wine, Musselburgh; Henderson Wines, Great Grog, Edinburgh; House of Menzies, Aberfeldy; Harrisons, Crieff)

Cape sparklers are improving, with Beck ahead of the pack with this stylish citric champagne lookalike; expect more ripeness of fruit and less acidity than the real thing.

UNDER 25

CHAMPAGNE WAITROSE OWN LABEL BRUT NV

(15.99, reduced from 19.99, Waitrose until 7 December)

Streets ahead of other supermarket own label champagne when we tasted this blind; everything you would expect with citric fruit, minerality, lively mousse and a clean elegant finish.

CHAMPAGNE FORGET-BRIMONT BRUT NV

(20.16, Justerini & Brooks, www.justerinis.com)

A new find from a Montagne de Reims-based champagne house with a rich soft smooth intense house style; Michel Forget is a winemaker to watch.

CHAMPAGNE MARGUET BLANC DE NOIRS BRUT NV

(23, The Wine Society, www.thewinesociety.com)

For those who like red fruit notes and a fuller mouthfilling palate in their champagne; a clever blend of 70 per cent pinot noir and 30 per cent pinot meunier from up-and-coming Benoit Marguet based in Ambonnay who uses "biodynamic" methods.

CHAMPAGNE THIENOT BRUT NV

(25, Cornelius Wines, Edinburgh; Lockett Bros, North Berwick)

Served in countless Michelin-starred restaurants, Alain Thienot's fizz remains a closely guarded secret for those who love intensely fruity, quince-flavoured, toasty fizz.

UNDER 30

CHAMPAGNE JP ROBERT BRUT NV

(25.99, Luvians, St Andrews/Cupar, www.luvians.com)

Very good deep, gutsy, toasty pinot noir-based fizz from a small family producer in the southerly Aube region of Champagne.

CHAMPAGNE LAURENT PERRIER VINTAGE 2000

(29.99, reduced from 40, Sainsbury's and Oddbins until 31 December)

An excellent price for a vintage 2000; a champagne to impress your guests with its citric intensity and richness - snap it up while you can.

For beginners' wine courses in Edinburgh and Glasgow, see www.rosemurraybrown.com