The 16 Best Affordable Sparkling Wines For Valentine's Day

Get your roses and your wallets ready — it's almost Valentine's Day. We've just begun recovering from the winter holidays, but Valentine's Day is always cheerfully welcomed. Grand gestures, chocolates, fancy dinners, and bottles of bubbly? What's not to love?

Whether you're dining out or planning a romantic home-cooked meal, this is a holiday also notorious for its extravagance. Devotees dip deep into their pockets to provide their partners with gifts and experiences of the utmost elegance, be it a glitzy diamond necklace or a silver platter adorned with oysters.

You don't have to let financial pressures put a damper on your ardor this year. Even if you choose to treat your lover to an extravagant gift or elegant meal, we're here to help you save on the bubbly. It's a special occasion, and a special occasion isn't complete without the clinking of Champagne flutes. No matter your plans, rest assured that you can find a great bottle of bubbly for under $30. Certified wine expert Nina Escobar and long-time industry consultant Carrie Lyn Strong both shared their top picks with us for affordable sparkling wines that pair best with an evening of love, as well as a few picks of our own to round things out.

Our first effervescent recommendation comes from Wine and Spirit Education Trust Level 3 Wine-certified expert Nina Escobar, who serves as the trusted wine director at BottleMixx. Escobar presents us with a crisp, classic Cava that hails from Penedès, Spain. Cava is a type of wine that is almost solely made in this bountiful region of Spain, and it's made with the same labor-intensive process that creates Champagne. She reports that this impressive, organic Cava gets aged for 30 months.

The result is a bone-dry sparkling wine that Escobar says has "the texture and flavor profile of a much more expensive bottle." That's a score for significant others on a budget. Escobar tells us that it's produced with no added sugar, which heightens its crisp, dry finish and amplifies its tart flavors. Expect delightful notes of lime zest, tart apple, and nectarine. Pair this light-bodied sparkling with fresh oysters for the utmost elegance — splurge on the seafood, because this bottle costs just around $15.

In the culinary world, none are quite as refined as the French, and we can't forget their centuries-long stake in wine production. From Champagne to chardonnay to cabernet sauvignon and beyond, the French are responsible for growing the grapes that make up our favorite sips of vino.

Escobar recommends Michèle Capdepon's Blanquette de Limoux, a dry, medium-bodied sparkling wine made in Limoux, France. The region of France in which this wine is produced is famous for sparkling wines, and Escobar asserts that its producer's sparkling expertise is truly exemplified in this wine. It's made with a subtly sweet blend of mauzac, chardonnay, and chenin blanc grapes and its flavor profile includes notes of baked yellow apple, Anjou pear, and pancake batter.

With a lightly sweet, bubbly finish, Escobar suggests pairing this wine with the salty comfort of steaming fried chicken or frites. If you're planning to break out your deep fryer for an impressive Valentine's Day spread, or are hoping to enjoy a low-budget, comfort food dinner, this sparkling wine will pair perfectly at just about $20 per bottle.

If you don't know exactly what you're looking for, perusing through a wine list or a liquor store can feel like participating in a game you don't know how to play. Labels often read like a foreign language (especially when they're actually written in a foreign language) and it's hard to keep track of all the different varieties there are — and the variety to be found within those varieties.

That's why we've got experts to help us! Escobar frequently recommends this Alla Costiera Prosecco to customers who happily return for more. She tells us that, though "Champagne" is often used as a blanket term for all kinds of sparkling wine, there is a major difference between Champagne and Prosecco. To earn the label of "Champagne," the criteria are strict: The wine must be made with grapes from Champagne, France.

Prosecco, on the other hand, comes from Italy's Prosecco region. "Not all Proseccos are made equal," Escobar asserts before stating that this one, in particular, is "a top-tier example with a great price." Indigenous yeasts and organically farmed glera grapes from some of the oldest vines in the Prosecco region give this wine its fresh, quality flavor. Enjoy notes of crisp pear, sweet Fuji apple, and spring flowers in each sip (for just $20). Pair its delicate flavors with robust dishes like Thai noodles or use it as a wonderful palate-cleanser between bites of sushi.

We've learned from Nina. Escobar that Champagnes and other sparkling wines earn their labels due to the region in which their grapes were made. There is, however, a bit more to it. Escobar explains that a high standard of quality is necessary for a wine to be called Champagne, including rigid grape-harvesting regulations, aging requirements, and strict stipulations surrounding the winemaking process.

Thanks to all of this, she says, any non-Champagne is labeled "sparkling wine," which leaves plenty of room for lower-quality options. As such, an expert recommendation is ideal to help you get the best bang for your buck, and Escobar's next rec is one that'll do just that. The Jean-Luc Joillot Cremant de Bourgogne is a high-quality French sparkling wine that Escobar considers "an excellent dupe for proper Champagne." Made with pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, this luxurious wine features a big, creamy mousse finish and notes of bright citrus and peach.

You can find a 375-milliliter bottle for $21.99, making it perfect for singles hoping to celebrate Valentine's Day or couples who aren't looking to drink a full-sized bottle of wine. Escobar also recommends toasting this light-bodied, dry wine alongside salad courses or shellfish appetizers before enjoying a good bottle of red.

Red wine lovers, this one's for you! Or, more specifically, red wine lovers who also love chilled sparkling wines and always have a hard time deciding between the two, this one's for you! If you enjoy the rich, earthy warmth of good red wine but can also appreciate the refreshing fizzle of sparkling wine, you simply must add sparkling red to your tasting repertoire. Some sparkling reds, like this next recommendation, are more fruity than earthy, so they're also suitable for those who don't always fancy red wines.

The Lini 910 Labrusca Lambrusco Rosso is produced in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is made from local Lambrusco grape varieties. A medium-bodied wine, this selection is extremely fragrant with notes of ripe blueberry, raspberry, and dried herbs. Though it's bursting with tart, sweet fruity flavor, this sparkling red still features a dry finish, so don't worry about it being too sweet for your liking.

Elevate a low-key dinner with this wine, which you can find for less than $18 per bottle. After all, Escobar says that this budget-friendly bubbly is "without a doubt" the best wine around for pizza pairing. Plus, its deep, ruby hue is perfectly on-theme for a heart-adorned celebration.

Sophisticated, indulgent, and pretty in pink, rosé is the ultimate Valentine's Day wine. Most rosé wines get their signature pink hue from the red grapes that they're made with. There are a variety of methods for making rosé, and many include shorter fermentation time or the removal of grape skins, both of which leave the finished product with a lighter, blush-like hue rather than a deep, red color.

Escobar reveals that the Bugey Cerdon region in Savoie, France boasts one of the coolest climates in the country, making it a "well-kept secret in the wine-making world." Her next recommendation is an impressive sparkling wine that hails from that very region. Escobar tells us that Daniel Boccard's Bugey Cerdon Méthod Ancestrale Demi-Sec Rosé is made using the esteemed méthode ancestrale, a centuries-old technique in which the fermentation process is halted early. This method makes for wines that contain less alcohol and more sugar.

As far as sweet, indulgent Valentine's Day treats go, this rosé could take the cake. It's full-bodied and bursting with sweet notes of macerated strawberry, raspberry jam, and tart lemon curd. Escobar deems this fruity wine one that "even wine snobs can get down with." She likes it as a dessert wine, so long as you pair it with something less sweet than itself like a strawberry tart or raspberry chocolate truffles.

If you've ever felt wildly confused when reading about a wine's "body" or how "dry" it is, you're not alone. It may seem impossible for a liquid to be dry or have a specific type of body, but these characteristics actually describe how the wine tastes. The wine's body refers to its feel — full-bodied wines are often reds, since they have a bit of a thicker texture, while light-bodied wines feel more delicate. Dryness simply relates to the wine's sugar content. The drier the wine, the less sugar you'll taste.

Those who aren't big on drinking often prefer sweeter wines, but many wine lovers are adamant in their preference for drier varieties. For the latter, Escobar recommends an extra-dry Prosecco made with the mosto fiore of grapes from Italy's prestigious Piave Valley. The "mosto fiore" is the richly-flavored juice extracted solely from the first pressing of the grapes. Using only this extraction eliminates the possibility that the wine will contain any harsh compounds from grape skins and seeds.

This light-bodied Prosecco features delicate, citrusy notes of white peach, orange blossom, and almond, and is often sold at the same price as household staple La Marca. In comparison, however, Escobar firmly asserts that this Cantine Maschio Extra Dry Prosecco is "head and shoulders above" La Marca in its quality and value. Put a dreamy, Italian summertime spin on your Valentine's Day dinner by clinking glasses of this supreme-quality Prosecco alongside prosciutto and ripe melon.

These next few recommendations come from Carrie Lyn Strong, longtime sommelier and current owner of Strong Wine Consulting. Having acted as the wine director and manager at numerous top-tier restaurants across the country, she's got an impressive bunch of affordable yet remarkable sparkling wines that'll make your celebration of love all the more special.

Strong's first recommendation is a sparkling wine from the newest established Spanish wine category called Corpinnat. Made with organic grapes from the heart of Penedès, Spain, these wines are made using some of the strictest quality requirements for sparkling wine in the world, as told by Strong. Family-owned winery Castellroig is the producer of the delightful vegan Corpinnat Brut Nature Reserva, a bubbly, medium-bodied sparkling wine whose quality speaks for itself in the very first sip.

Strong tells us that this Spanish wine features the fresh fragrances of white flowers and jasmine, with tasting notes that include green apple and lemongrass. As with most crisp, bubbly whites, this wine pairs wonderfully with fish, but it's also great as a complement to hors d'oeuvres.

This rosé bottle is so pretty, you might just buy it without even knowing what's inside. Luckily, it's a wine that tastes as delightful as it looks. Plus, you can purchase this Valdo Floral Rosé Brut from retailers for about $20 or less per bottle, so there'll be plenty of opportunities to make it a centerpiece on your dinner table.

Strong applauds the celebrated Italian winery, Valdo, on its "continuous innovation, the quest for quality, and devotion to respecting the wine-making traditions of both Sicily and Veneto where the grapes are grown." Having been in business for nearly a century, Valdo is known for its top-tier products, and this brut rosé doesn't disappoint.

This wine is made with a touch of residual sugar and grapes of the nerello nascalese and glera varieties, making for a fresh, dry mouthful of what Strong calls "strawberry shortcake goodness." Enjoy a powerfully fruity bouquet of florals, raspberry, cherry, and citrus notes in each sip of these flirty pink bubbles. Pair it with fish, shellfish, or a nice charcuterie board.

Next up, Strong enlightens us about a robust brut sparkling wine that originates in the Western Cape, South Africa. Western Cape is home to the renowned Graham Beck vineyard and winery, which Strong applauds for its focus on minimal intervention during the production process. Strong says that this strive for purity allows for the authenticity of the grapes' "unique terroir to shine in the elegance of their bubbles."

Graham Beck's Brut Méthode Cap Classique is made méthode champenoise-style, which is the traditional method for producing Champagne. Accordingly, Strong calls this critically acclaimed wine a valuable, reliable alternative to Champagne. In fact, the Graham Beck website proudly states that this particular wine has been deemed "President's Choice," likely because it was served at ceremonies held for both Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama. How's that for affordable elegance?

As per Strong, this brut features lively bubbles and hints of apricot, passion fruit, starfruit, and citrus zest. It's the perfect fancy pairing to classic, greasy french fries.

Does anything sound more romantic than sipping a crisp rosè on a terrace in Greece alongside your lover? If a trip to the Mediterranean isn't on your list of Valentine's Day plans, you can bring the summery feel of Greece to your dinner table with this sparkling rosé.

Strong gushes that this sparkling rosé displays finesse and "a rare aromatic character of ripe wild strawberry and bing cherry," making for fresh, elegant, palate-pleasing sips. This wine comes from Kir-Yianni, a longstanding winery owned by a family known for its impressive history as Greek winemakers. It's made with indigenous xinomavro grapes which are cultivated in the high-altitude Amyndeon appellation of Northwestern Greece.

Light and fruity, this is a wine that can be enjoyed by both novice wine drinkers and connoisseurs alike. It even earned a gold medal in the 2018 Thessaloniki International Wine Competition. Grab a bottle of this award-winning rosé for under $30 and keep things Greek by pairing it alongside citrusy chicken, spicy pasta dishes, seafood, or herby appetizer platters.

Maybe your dry January has extended into February, or maybe you're just not a fan of alcoholic beverages. No matter your reason, you shouldn't have to skirt the sophisticated glasses of bubbly when celebrating Valentine's Day.

Keep your lavish dinners and decadent desserts well-paired with a quality non-alcoholic sparkling wine like the Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Rosé. Even a wine aficionado like Strong can appreciate what she considers a palate-tantalizing sparkler. With hints of fresh pink grapefruit and scents of pale strawberries, raspberry, and citrus, it's a delightfully bubbly beverage made with a complex distillation technique that requires just as much quality care as an alcoholic wine does.

Strong tells us that this German-made nonalcoholic sparkler was created for those who desire the flavors, structure, and complexity of wine, but are seeking an alcohol-free alternative. She considers this crisp, dry sparkler "the best non-alcoholic mine on the market," and since it's only around $20 per bottle, we're inclined to take her word for it.

We don't need an expert to tell us that Trader Joe's has phenomenal alcohol options, or that it's safe to peruse the shelves for wines worthy of celebration. After all, if anyone can do low-price-high-quality, it's Joe. Our favorite grocery store sells a slew of affordable sparkling wines, but none receive as much praise as the Platinum Reserve Brut Sparkling Wine.

This brut is made in Sonoma County, which Trader Joe's dubs as a prestigious wine-growing region (which is accurate). Trader Joe's says that this sparkling wine has a crisp finish like other quality wines that have been produced with the méthode champenoise. This method involves two fermentation processes that provide a sparkling wine with the light, bubbly body we love.

According to Trader Joe's, the Platinum Reserve Brut features sweet, fruity notes of apple and pear, which we'd suggest pairing alongside a sumptuous, savory meal. Go for the expensive steak and seafood, because this bottle costs just $14.99.

Trader Joe's takes inexpensive elegance to the next level with the Brut Rosé French Sparkling Wine. Thanks to its unique geography and optimal climates, France is known for growing one-of-a-kind grapes that help produce some of the most high-caliber wines in the world.

This rosé gets its delightful taste and rosy hues from French grapes grown alongside the Mediterranean Sea. This blend of grapes makes for a creamy, fizzy body and a crisp, fruity flavor, as per the company website. If its enticing $6.99 price tag doesn't persuade you to grab two bottles, its crisp, lightly-sweet finish sure will.

As with most rosés, this bubbly beverage will pair nicely with seafood and cheese platters, making it perfect as a complement to a Valentine's Day charcuterie board or an elegant entrée. Since each Trader Joe's location might offer a different inventory, we'll include a well-deserved shoutout to its Opaline Pinot Noir Brut Rosé as well; it's another crisp, affordable classic featuring French grapes and a visually stunning presentation.

You might grab a bright, decently-priced bunch of Valentine's Day flowers from Costco, and you might even prepare a romantic dinner with ingredients from the beloved wholesaler. What you may not have considered, however, is that you can also take a quality bottle of real Champagne with you to the checkout line. Yes, Kirkland's Signature Brut Champagne is actually made in the highly-esteemed Champagne region of France, and it shows.

The sommeliers we've consulted with made it clear that finding a full-sized 750-milliliter bottle of real Champagne for under $30 is not easy to do. Kirkland's Champagne is actually the only Champagne on this list for that very reason, and it sells for around $19.89 per bottle. As per the bottle's label, this crisp Champagne features lemon fragrances with notes of green apple, apricot, and citrus. Classic brut Champagne will usually pair nicely with decadent pasta dishes, cheeses, seafood, and salty snacks like nuts or chips. Treat your lover to a flute filled with this refined fizzy wine, and they'll assume you've laid out big bucks for the special day — we won't tell.

To be called Champagne, the tipple has to be grown and made within the boundaries of France's Champagne region. It's possible to have a vineyard in France that has been producing fizzy wine for close to 240 years, and is associated with a family that has been involved in the winemaking business in the 1600s, yet hasn't actually sold a drop of anything that could be labeled Champagne. That's exactly the case with Pierre Sparr.

You can grab a bottle of Cremant D'Alsace Brut Reserve, a sparkling wine from the "wrong" part of France, for around $22 — and if you like your bubbly, you're very unlikely to regret doing so. It's about as sweet, or as sweet as you'd want from a brut, with a distinct note of apple both on the nose and palate. There are also some very noticeable bread-like notes, so naturally, this pairs well with a freshly baked brie or camembert. It's light-bodied, refreshing, and all too easy to drink.

The sparkling wines we chose all are fairly easily accessible and have a good value for the price point. We also strived to pick a variety of sparkling wines to fit every sparkling wine lovers' preferences, whether you're a Champagne person or a sweet, bubbly, white wine type of person. All of these choices will set the mood this Valentine's Day for you.