Mother’s Day falls on Sunday 19 March in the UK this year, the day before the official start of spring in the northern hemisphere; the mimosa trees are beginning to blossom, buds are breaking, and there are signs of new life.
Flowers, plants and bulbs make for wonderful gifts on Mothering Sunday, but adding in a bottle of sparkling wine as well is sure to keep a smile on mum’s face.
We’ve put together a selection of sparkling wine options below that should suit many tastes.
The list includes varying styles of sparkling wine from classic Champagne and Cava to English sparkling, Franciacorta and pétillant naturel. Prices range from under £20 to over £300.
Looking for something really special for the grande dame in your life? Try Veuve Clicquot’s newly released La Grande Dame Rosé 2012.
Would you prefer to find something she won’t have tried before? This sparkling wine from Luxembourg is sure to surprise and delight.
Keen to impress but don’t want to break the bank? The Domaine J Laurens, Les Graimenous, Crémant de Limoux comes in under £20 and is a delicious, complex fizz.
Scroll down to see our round up of sparkling wines for Mother’s Day
Quick guide to the sparkling wine styles shown below:
- Champagne – Mostly made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this must come from the French region of Champagne. It’s produced using the traditional method, with secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle.
- Traditional method – This refers to wines made using the same method as Champagne, where a second fermentation takes place in the bottle. The key examples are:
- Cava – Sparkling wine from Spain using both native grapes, such as Xarello and Parellada, as well as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Reserva and Gran Reserva Cavas undergo extended ageing in bottle, offering additional complexity.
- English sparkling wine – The cool climate and limestone soils in southern England are similar to those in Champagne, producing fantastic sparkling wines.
- Franciacorta – From the northern Italian region of Lombardy, this serious wine can be both fresh and complex.
- Crémant – There are eight appellations in France where Crémant sparkling wines can be produced, and local grape varieties tend to be used. Examples include Crémant de Bourgogne, Crémant de Limoux and Crémant de Savoie.
- Other very good traditional method sparkling wines can be found in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil.
- Prosecco – Made in the Veneto region of northeast Italy from the Glera grape, using the tank – or charmat – method.
- Pétillant Naturel – This is in fact the oldest method of making sparkling wine, also known as méthode ancestrale. Unlike Champagne, the wine is bottled before it finishes its first fermentation, so the bubbles develop in the bottle. They can be slightly cloudy due to sediment, fairly low in alcohol, with a gentle fizz and sometimes a touch of sweetness. For the more adventurous mothers out there, what’s not to like!
Need more inspiration? See Top rosé Champagne to try
At a glance: top picks for Mother’s Day
Top quality Champagne pick under £50:
Piollot Père & Fils, Cuvée de Réserve Brut, Champagne, France NV – £38
Top supermarket Champagne pick:
Waitrose, Blanc de Noirs Brut, Champagne, France NV – £26.99
Top traditional method pick:
Westwell, Blanc de Blancs, England, United Kingdom 2013 – £48
Top off-the-beaten-track pick:
Viñedos Ruiz Jiménez, Ingenium Pet Nat Garnacha, Rioja, Spain 2022 – £25.45
Sparkling wines for Mother’s Day:
The wines below were tasted by Decanter’s editorial team and experts.
