Best champagne in Australia

Don't settle for cheap tasting bubbly. These are the best champagnes in Australia based on expert research and hundreds of consumer reviews.

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Hayley Williams

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The best champagne in Australia

As the go-to for a toast, a celebration, or any kind of party, Champagne is one of the few alcoholic drinks that most people will enjoy at least a couple of times a year. However with a glut of brands on the market and most bottles going for a higher price, it can be hard to pick a winner.

How did we pick this list?

Our editorial team selected the products on this list based on extensive research, personal experience, and real customer reviews. For each category, we selected parameters based on our research and identified the products with the highest review scores from both experts and consumers.

Read more detail on our methodology below.

Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne

Best Champagne overall

Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • A classic dry Champagne at a great price
  • The Bollinger name is well-known and prestigious

Cons

  • More expensive than many non-vintage French Champagnes
  • Can be too rich for those with a delicate palate

When looking for a great Champagne, you can't go past the classics. While some of the most well-known Champagne houses rely more on their brand name than on the product, there's a reason Bollinger has such a great reputation as a bottle to celebrate with. Bollinger is one of the most popular champagnes according to Dan Murphy's customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.8 stars from over 50 users. At around $80 a bottle, Bollinger's non-vintage offering easily competes with Champagnes at twice its price, boasting a full, toasty character that is the very definition of decadence.

Grant Burge Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV

Best cheap Champagne/Sparkling Wine

Grant Burge Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • This crisp, creamy sparkling is easily drinkable
  • Readily available around Australia at great prices, including in restaurants

Cons

  • Focus is on reliability over standout flavour
  • May be too dry for those used to sweeter wines

Australian sparkling wines can no longer legally be labelled as Champagne, yet it could be argued that the best Australian drops hold their own against many of the French classics. South Australian winemaker Grant Burge's dry Pinot Noir Chardonnay is one of the best cheap sparkling wines on the market, often available at under $20. Boasting over 120 positive reviews on Dan Murphy's website, this sparkling is a cheaper go-to for many Australians. With a rich, full-bodied taste rivalling French Champagnes over twice its price, this non-vintage Grant Burge sparkling is a reliable pick for toasting that won't break the bank.

Dom Pérignon Brut Vintage 2008

Best premium Champagne

Dom Pérignon Brut Vintage 2008
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • A well-known name means Dom Pérignon is well-received as a gift
  • Fantastic now, but will be even better in a few years time

Cons

  • Customers have to be careful to buy the right vintage
  • Part of the price tag is the well-known name

For a big celebration, an expensive bottle of Champagne is called for. For this, you can't go past a name synonymous with luxury: Dom Pérignon. Due to the complexities of winemaking in the Champagne region, not every year gets a vintage release--but the ones that do are truly special. This 2008 vintage has been lauded by reviewers, though Champagne connoisseurs will be even better rewarded if they have the patience to age it for another five years. Despite the hefty price tag, the 2008 Dom is one of Amazon's top-selling Champagnes, with an average review score of 4.6 from over 80 reviews. As with other vintage Champagnes, you can expect the 2008 Dom to show far more complexity and sophistication than its non-vintage brothers, with strong citrus notes followed by the fuller, toasty character of a fantastic Champagne.

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose

Best Pink Champagne

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • A perfect fresh drink for hot summer days
  • One of the best options for refined tastes

Cons

  • Price puts it firmly in the splurge category
  • Could be too dry for people used to sweet rosé

While Billecart-Salmon produces a fantastic white Champagne, its Brute Rosé is where the French brand shines. Pink sparkling often gets a bad rap for being overly fruity or sweet, but Billecart-Salmon provides an offering that's delicate, refined, and oh so drinkable. Another Champagne that's popular on Amazon, the Brut Rosé has a customer score of 4.8 and is well-reviewed by Dan Murphy's customers as well. Billecart-Salmon's Rosé is outstanding for its freshness, boasting notes of raspberries with a lingering finish. While it's more expensive than other rose options from French producers, Billecart's quality means it's worth every penny.

Pol Roger Brut Champagne NV

Best French Champagne

Pol Roger Brut Champagne NV
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Fresh, crisp, and very drinkable
  • A less obvious option to bring to the table

Cons

  • Not as tasty as other non-vintage Champagnes
  • Not as much name recognition as other big Champagne houses

One of notable Australian wine critic James Halliday's favourite French Champagnes, Pol Roger is also a favourite of Australian consumers, boasting an average customer rating of 4.9 on Dan Murphys. Its refined style makes Pol Roger a perfect alternative for those who find Bollinger or Veuve too big and rich, favouring crisp apple and citrus notes balanced with the rich brioche flavours. As less of a well-known name than other big Champagne houses, Pol Roger is also a perfect choice for those looking to surprise friends with something new.

House of Arras Ed Carr Late Disgorged 2005

Best Australian Champagne/Sparkling Wine

House of Arras Ed Carr Late Disgorged 2005
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • An award-winning wine with lots to brag about
  • 10 years on lees means you can enjoy straight out of the bottle

Cons

  • Harder to find than big-name French Champagnes
  • Quality can depend on the vintage

While Australian Champagnes are often seen as the budget alternative to expensive French Champagnes, some of Australia's premium products hold their own with the best the Champagne region has to offer. Tasmanian winery House of Arras is in this category with the E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2005 vintage, another James Halliday favourite that has been given plenty of time on lees to age and grow into a beautiful wine. Having been awarded 2020's best sparkling wine, consumers agree, with an average rating of 5 stars on Dan Murphy's website. A balanced and elegant sparkling wine, critics agree House of Arras holds its own with French Champagnes sold at far higher prices. If the price tag is still too much for an Australian wine, however, House of Arras's lower-priced sparklings also come highly recommended.

Edenvale Sparkling Cuvee

Best non-alcoholic Champagne/Sparkling Wine

Edenvale Sparkling Cuvee
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Tastes mostly like alcoholic sparkling wine
  • Has a dry finish with no sticky sweetness

Cons

  • 0% alcohol not guaranteed, unlike competitors made from grape juice
  • People not used to drinking alcoholic sparkling won't like the authentic taste

It's nice to be able to enjoy a bottle of bubbly even when you're not partaking in alcohol. Luckily there's a number of non-alcoholic sparkling wines on the market. Edenvale's Sparkling Cuvee is a de-alcoholised wine, giving it a traditional flavour and character with none of the alcohol. This means there still may be small traces of alcohol, but no more than 0.5% by volume. Edenvale's alcohol-removed bubbly is Australia's favourite non-alcoholic sparkling option, with an average rating of 4.5 on Dan Murphys. While the category is clearly a hard thing to get right, reviewers agree Edenvale is a great option for those avoiding alcohol.

Where to buy champagne online

We selected the champagnes on this list based on a decade of tasting and reviewing experience. We also analysed the average customer ratings at ecommerce sites like Amazon, Dan Murphy's and BWS (as of November 2020).

We carefully collected data from each review to identify recurring pros and cons for each product. Review volume and quality were also factored into our shortlist. Where multiple products had similar review scores, price was the deciding factor. Finally, we corroborated our choices with other professional review sites to identify any anomalies.

See more options for where to alcohol online in Australia.

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Methodology

25+
champagnes considered
7
products chosen
  • We compared local and international champagnes/sparkling wines from 26 different brands.
  • We based our findings on our own tasting experience and real customer reviews from retailers like Amazon, Dan Murphy's and BWS.
  • The products on this list are chosen by our editorial team and are not selected based on commercial relationships.

Why you can trust our picks

For the purposes of this list, we considered both champagne and sparkling wines from other regions, depending on the category. Each shortlist was based on customer reviews, professional opinion pieces and the writer's personal experience as a wine salesperson.

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We assess hundreds of products for each guide to ensure you're getting a full overview of the market. All guides are regularly reviewed and fact-checked.
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We don't cut corners

Selections are based on our own research, comparisons and testing. We do not use automation software or AI. Every best guide follows a stringent methodology.
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Author

Hayley Williams is a freelance writer specialising in technology and gaming. She's contributed to various publications over the years, including Gizmodo, Lifehacker and Kotaku Australia, GameSpot, PC Gamer, SBS Australia and Fandom. She studied Communications at the University of Technology Sydney, and has also worked in game development, film production, and events. Outside of work she's deeply into the world of cosplay and will always be either creating something or discovering her next dream project while playing a game or two. See full bio

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