Wines of the week: Three French alternatives to Champagne and Prosecco

Replace expensive Champagne with fizzy wines from France's Loire valley

Have you reached peak Prosecco yet? Do you find most good Champagne too costly? Then look to the Loire valley in France for some of the best-value sparkling wines around….

Bouvet Saumur Rosé Brut NV

The House of Bouvet Ladubay in St Hilaire de Florent, near Saumur, once stored its wines in the vast caverns where the golden limestone that built the town was mined. It is one of the oldest producers, with a wide range of excellent sparkling and still wines. Subtle but refreshing red fruit flavours and a lovely salmon pink in colour, this is top-notch rosé made from Cabernet Franc. It's an ideal summer aperitif, and a great accompaniment with canapés.

£11.99 Majestic (or £8.99 as part of mixed six bottles)

Château de l'Aulée Crémant de Loire Brut NV

“Crémant” denotes a certain class and means the wine has to be made in the same way as Champagne, here using the versatile Chenin Blanc again. Although made by Marielle Henrion, a former Bollinger wine maker who took over this rundown Château in Vouvray in 2004, this is actually closer to some English sparkling wines, with the gorgeous soft flavours of elderflower and green apples. A lovely party sparkler.

£12.25 Oddbins; £12.99 averys.com.

Domaine de Brizé Saumur Brut NV

Siblings Luc and Line Delhumeau produce just a couple of hand-crafted sparkling wines from their simple farmhouse-style estate just south of Angers – all certified with the Terra Vitis sustainability logo. The Chenin Blanc is given its creaminess from a little Chardonnay, but stays clean and lively on the palate. It took a recent Decanter Silver Award and is simply fabulous value for money.

£11.40 greatwesternwine.co.uk; £11.49 drinksdirect.co.uk