Quick Answer: Real Champagne for $20: Kirkland Signature Champagne Brut at Costco. Under $20 anywhere: Gruet Brut (about $15). A name guests know: Nicolas Feuillatte (about $35).
Real Champagne under $30 is rare, so we split this list: two true Champagnes, then bottles made the same way for less.
All 7 picks
Prices are retailer listings and reviews checked October 2026; wine prices vary by state.
Best real Champagne
Kirkland Signature Champagne Brut
- Region
- Champagne (Verzenay)
- Grapes
- Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier
- Aged
- 15+ months
Why it's here: Real grand cru Champagne made by Manuel Janisson, and Reverse Wine Snob scored it 9 for taste at $19.99.
Watch out: Costco only, and stores often run low the week before New Year's.
Why we picked it (sources)
Reverse Wine Snob lists $19.99, the Verzenay origin and the Janisson producer, and calls it a Recommended Buy (Reverse Wine Snob).
Best name brand
Nicolas Feuillatte Réserve Exclusive Brut
- Region
- Champagne
- Grapes
- 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Meunier, 20% Chardonnay
- Score
- 92 (Wine Spectator)
Why it's here: Apple, apricot and honey with a hint of almond, and the best-known bottle near this price.
Watch out: About $35, so a little over budget; Costco usually has the lowest price.
Why we picked it (sources)
The Costco Wine Blog lists $34.99, the blend and a 92-point Wine Spectator score (Costco Wine Blog); Wine Enthusiast review (Wine Enthusiast).
Best under $20
Gruet Brut
- Region
- New Mexico
- Method
- Traditional (in the bottle)
- Score
- 10/10 at Sporked
Why it's here: Sporked's top bottle under $20: lemony, crisp and appley, with a finish that tastes older than it is.
Watch out: Not Champagne, so skip it if the word on the label matters to you.
Why we picked it (sources)
Sporked gave it 10/10 at just over $15 (Sporked); Wine Review Online calls Gruet the $15 category winner (Wine Review Online).
Best cheap
La Burgondie Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Réserve
- Region
- Burgundy, France
- Method
- Traditional
- Where
- Trader Joe's
Why it's here: French sparkling wine made like Champagne for about $11: crisp, appley and a little toasty.
Watch out: Slightly off-dry, and only at Trader Joe's.
Why we picked it (sources)
The San Francisco Chronicle picked it at $10.99 (SF Chronicle); Sporked scored it 7.5/10 at $12 (Sporked).
Best rosé
Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé
- Region
- Alsace, France
- Grape
- 100% Pinot Noir
- Method
- Traditional
Why it's here: Red-fruit pink bubbly that stands up to salami, prosciutto and smoked salmon.
Watch out: Price and stock vary a lot by state.
Why we picked it (sources)
Wine Review Online lists it at about $20 and pairs it with salmon (Wine Review Online).
Richest
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut
- Region
- Sonoma, California
- Style
- Toasty, nutty
- Where
- Trader Joe's and wine shops
Why it's here: The richest bottle in the Chronicle's Trader Joe's tasting: toast and nuts with apple and apricot.
Watch out: Not Champagne, and fuller-bodied than most guests expect.
Why we picked it (sources)
The San Francisco Chronicle lists it at $16.99 at Trader Joe's (SF Chronicle).
Best at Aldi
Aldi Specially Selected Napa Valley Brut
- Region
- Napa Valley
- Method
- Traditional
- Rating
- 7.0, Recommended Buy
Why it's here: If Aldi is your store, this is its Champagne-method bottle: citrus, green apple and fresh bread.
Watch out: Noticeably sweet, and the reviewer prefers Trader Joe's Sonoma sparklers for $3 less.
Why we picked it (sources)
Reverse Wine Snob lists $17.99 and rates it 7.0 (Reverse Wine Snob).
How to pick bubbly for a board
- Champagne or not: only wine from France's Champagne region can use the name. Crémant, Gruet and cava are made the same way, with the second fermentation in the bottle, for much less.
- Read the sweetness word: Brut is dry. Extra Dry is actually a little sweeter than Brut.
- Pair it with salt and fat: brie, aged Gouda, Parmesan, prosciutto, smoked salmon and even potato chips. Bubbles and acidity cut the richness.
- How much: a 750 ml bottle pours about five glasses. For a midnight toast, one bottle covers about eight small pours.
- Skip: Charles de Marques Champagne at Trader Joe's ($20.99). The Chronicle's tasters found it oxidized and metallic.
Building the board? See the New Year's Eve charcuterie board. Not drinking? See the best sparkling cider.
Champagne questions
What's the best cheap Champagne?
Kirkland Signature Champagne Brut at Costco, about $20, is real grand cru Champagne. Outside Costco, true Champagne usually starts around $35.
What's the difference between Champagne and crémant?
Both are made with a second fermentation in the bottle. Champagne must come from the Champagne region; crémant comes from other French regions such as Burgundy and Alsace, and costs far less.
Is Brut or Extra Dry sweeter?
Extra Dry is sweeter. Brut is the dry choice for a cheese board.
What cheese goes with Champagne?
Brie and other bloomy cheeses, aged Gouda, Parmesan and Comté. Salty cured meats like prosciutto work too.
How many bottles for a New Year's Eve party?
A bottle pours about five glasses. Plan on half a bottle per guest for the night, or one bottle per eight guests for just the midnight toast.
How we picked these, and sources
No single test compares cheap Champagne in the US. We used Sporked's under-$20 tasting, Reverse Wine Snob reviews, the San Francisco Chronicle's Trader Joe's tasting, Wine Review Online on crémant, and the Costco Wine Blog. Tasting Table's cheap 'Champagne' ranking confirmed that most budget bottles aren't Champagne at all (Tasting Table). Checked October 26, 2026.
- Reverse Wine Snob: Kirkland Signature Champagne Brut
- Costco Wine Blog: Nicolas Feuillatte Réserve Exclusive Brut
- Wine Enthusiast: Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Réserve
- Sporked: best cheap Champagne under $20
- Wine Review Online: well-priced alternatives to Champagne
- San Francisco Chronicle: Trader Joe's sparkling wines for New Year's Eve
- Reverse Wine Snob: Aldi Napa Valley Méthode Champenoise Brut
- Tasting Table: cheap 'Champagne' ranked
For Italian bubbles, see the best prosecco; for still wines, the best wines under $20. Every guide is on our charcuterie buying guides page.
