The fruitful search for champagne alternatives this summer

Australians can't get enough of champagne, which is why recent reports of a pre-Christmas shortage were enough to send fans of French fizz in a spin.

While big-name brands such as Moet, Veuve Clicquot and Bollinger may be more challenging to find due to explosive growth in global demand coupled with supply chain issues, it's not time to hit the panic button just yet. There's still plenty to be found if you look hard enough.

"I don't think this market will run out of champagne by Christmas," says Inge Fransen, chief executive of champagne house Vranken-Pommery's Australian arm.

"There's plenty of stock on hand across importers and distributors but it'll just be a matter of not looking for the obvious and potentially considering or exploring some lesser-known brands."

Australians are certainly a celebratory bunch. In May 2022, trade association Comite Champagne reported that Australia is ranked the sixth-largest export market by volume.

Nearly 10 million bottles of champagne made their way to Australia in 2021, an increase of 1.3 million bottles.

"Searching for different products and trying different brands is behaviour that started to develop and progressed during COVID lockdowns," Fransen says.

"Ordering from home, having more time to browse, and having more time to read and explore really led to many champagne consumers choosing a different brand, compared to what they may have before."

It's a trend also observed by Shun Eto, group wine director at Sydney's Shell House.

"Everyone wants to drink champagne," he says. "It's expected that all champagne will continue to go up in price next year, from 15 to 30 per cent … the price rises have really encouraged people to drink locally and I think that's a positive thing."

Shell House was awarded Wine List of the Year in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2023 for the breadth and thoughtfulness of the venue's beverage offering. While high-end champagnes feature proudly on the menu, Eto also champions sparkling alternatives such as petillant naturel (or "pet-nat").

"Pet-nat has experienced a huge boom," he says. "It sits at around $35 to $80 on a wine list whereas champagne now starts at $180. That's a lot of money. I can't afford champagne and I work in wine."

Eto says his team love pet-nat due to the "off-the-cuff conviviality" it brings to the table (or beach or backyard) when a bottle is opened. "Yes, it sometimes tastes yeasty, like cider, but that adds to charm and it's delicious with Aussie beach food."

The sommelier is also a big fan of Loire Valley bubbles from France. "Bubbly chenin blanc from Saumur combines freshness, creaminess and delicacy with pure elegance," he says.

"Not all champagne can even do this."

Then of course, there's Australian sparkling. "Most Aussie sparklings are made the same way as champagne and are delicious," Eto says.

"Tell me another country in the world other than France that makes world-class sparkling in multiple regions? We should all drink more Australian sparkling, especially from regions such as Tumbarumba, Adelaide Hills and Tasmania."

When online wine community Vivino announced its annual Community Awards, based on ratings by one-million Australian users, Tasmania dominated the Australian sparkling category. House of Arras appeared five times while Clover Hill and Delamere all featured in the top 15.

"The top 10 also featured Bird in Hand Sparkling out of the Adelaide Hills, Zonzo Prosecco from Yarra Valley, and Shady Lane Pet Nat Pinot from Victoria," says Vivino general manager James Fildes.

"My advice is to jump out of your comfort zone. Try something new, different and exciting. Whether it's a label or a style you've never tried. The saying, 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' rings true, especially on your wine journey."

However, no matter what sparkling you're drinking, Eto says to forget the flute.

"Only drink champagne and sparkling from a wine glass," he says. "A flute looks prettier but quality sparkling tastes better from a wine glass and enjoyability is more important."

Top Australian sparklings for Christmas and New Year's

Mordrelle Wines 2015 Blanc de Blancs

Winemaker Martin Moran's Mordrelle fizz took out the best sparkling trophy at the 2021 Adelaide Hills Wine Show. It was aged on lees for over 72 months so think brioche, almonds and citrus. $90, mordrellewines.com.au

Courabyra Wines 2016 805 Vintage Brut

A highlight of a recent trip to Tumbarumba, NSW, was this combination of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay with breakfast. It's never too early for a lovingly made traditional-method fizz. $65, courabyrawines.com

House of Arras 2007 E.J. Carr Late Disgorged

For the love of Tasmania. Anything by House of Arras chief winemaker Ed Carr is a winner, but this exquisite release is especially worth splashing out for. $266, houseofarras.com.au

Ngeringa 2021 Petillant Naturel

Delicious, biodynamically grown fizz from Adelaide Hills featuring syrah, pinot noir, viognier and pink semillon. Lightly bubbly, floral and perfect for the beach. $35, ngeringa.com

Polka 2021 De-Alc Lilly Pilly Sparkling Cuvee

For zero-alcohol sparkles, the release from South Australia's Riverland region is one of the best. Native botanical lilly pilly adds astringency and flavour. $19.95, polkadrops.com.au