What Can I Drink Instead of Prosecco? 15+ Sparkling & Non-Alcoholic Alternatives

January 4, 2026 •

4 min read

Globally, prosecco sales have seen explosive growth in recent years, but countless other delicious options exist for those seeking a new bubbly experience. Whether you're looking for sparkling alternatives, cocktails, or non-alcoholic substitutions, here’s a guide on what you can drink instead of prosecco.

Quick Summary

This guide outlines a comprehensive list of sparkling wine, cocktail, and non-alcoholic drinks to substitute for prosecco. Explore great options like Cava, Crémant, and various mocktails tailored to your flavor preferences and budget.

Key Points

For a richer flavor: Consider traditional-method sparkling wines like Cava or Crémant for a drier, more complex taste with finer bubbles.
For budget-friendly options: Cava and Crémant offer exceptional value for their production method compared to Champagne.
For a low or no-alcohol alternative: Try non-alcoholic sparkling wines (like Noughty) or elegant non-alcoholic cocktails (like a sparkling tea blend or Aperol mocktail).
For a natural or adventurous option: Look for Pét-Nat, a rustic, unfiltered sparkling wine made with minimal intervention and unique flavors.
For something different: Explore other Italian sparklers like Lambrusco or still Italian white wines like Pecorino or Pignoletto.
For versatility in cocktails: Consider still white wine or a variety of non-alcoholic mixers like tonic or ginger beer when building a spritz.

Exploring Sparkling Wine Alternatives to Prosecco

While prosecco's fresh, fruity character and affordability make it a popular choice, a wide world of other sparkling wines offers diverse tastes and textures. Your choice might depend on your budget, preferred flavor profile, or even the occasion.

European Sparklers

Cava (Spain): Made primarily in Catalonia using the traditional method, Cava is Spain's answer to Champagne. This production style means it spends time aging on its lees, developing complex, toasty, and nutty flavors with fine, persistent bubbles. It provides excellent quality for a comparable or slightly higher price than most prosecco. It is also often drier than prosecco, which typically has more residual sugar. Cava is a fantastic, food-friendly alternative for those seeking more complexity.
Crémant (France): Made across France outside the Champagne region (think Alsace, Burgundy, Loire), Crémant also uses the traditional method. Since it is produced outside the specific, highly regulated Champagne region, it is often much more affordable while still delivering refined bubbles and complex flavors. Crémants vary based on their regional grapes, offering a range from rich and fruity to crisp and floral.
Pét-Nat (Pétillant Naturel): For the adventurous drinker, Pét-Nat is the 'wild' cousin of sparkling wine. This rustic style uses the ancestral method, where fermentation is completed in the bottle, often with less intervention. The result is a naturally bubbly, often cloudy, and unpredictable wine with a funkier, more rustic character and gentle fizz.
Lambrusco (Italy): Forget the overly sweet versions of the past; authentic, high-quality Lambrusco from Italy's Emilia region is a dry, effervescent red wine with bright acidity and rich red fruit notes. It pairs exceptionally well with rich Italian foods and offers a unique, vibrant alternative to white bubbly.
Franciacorta (Italy): Another top-tier Italian sparkling wine made using the traditional method, Franciacorta from Lombardy is a prestigious alternative that rivals Champagne in quality, offering layers of brioche and refined bubbles.

Non-Alcoholic Alternatives to Prosecco

The non-alcoholic (NA) market has exploded, offering sophisticated and delicious alternatives that mimic the celebratory feel of sparkling wine.

NA Sparkling Wine: Many brands now offer alcohol-free versions made from the same grapes. Brands like Thomson & Scott 'Noughty' and La Gioiosa Alcohol-Free Sparkling Wine offer a clean, crisp, and fruity experience very close to the real thing.
Wild Life Botanicals: This English brand infuses non-alcoholic sparkling wine with botanicals, vitamins, and minerals, making it a health-conscious choice that is ultra-low in calories.
Kombucha: For a healthier, flavorful, and fermented option, kombucha offers a refreshing effervescence with tangy notes. Ginger kombucha can add a spicy kick.
Sparkling Tea: Brands like Copenhagen Sparkling Tea offer elegant, complex blends of tea and grape juice, providing an aromatic and refined NA experience.
Mocktails: Create your own prosecco-style bubbly. A mix of white grape juice and soda water can mimic the fruitiness, or you can craft an NA spritz with a non-alcoholic aperitif, sparkling water, and orange juice.

Non-Sparkling Wines and Other Cocktails

For those who prefer still drinks or different flavor profiles, consider these options:

Italian Still Whites: Look for still wines from the same region, such as Pecorino or Pignoletto, which offer crisp, refreshing citrus and floral notes.
Bicicletta Spritz: Instead of prosecco, this cocktail uses dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio), Campari, and a splash of soda water for a slightly less fizzy but equally refreshing aperitivo.
Kir Royale (Alternative): A classic Kir Royale uses crème de cassis and Champagne, but for a prosecco-like feel, you can substitute the sparkling wine and use a raspberry liqueur for a sweet, fruity kick.

Comparison Table: Prosecco vs. Key Alternatives


Feature	Prosecco (Italy)	Cava (Spain)	Crémant (France)	Pét-Nat (Worldwide)
Production Method	Tank Method (Charmat)	Traditional Method	Traditional Method	Ancestral Method
Bubbles	Light, frothy, larger, less persistent	Fine, elegant, persistent	Fine, elegant	Gentle, sometimes wild/unpredictable
Typical Flavor	Fresh fruit (apple, pear, melon) & floral	Citrus, brioche, toastiness	Depends on region (e.g., apple, citrus, red berry)	Fruit-forward, sometimes funky, earthy
Acidity	Generally lower acidity, easier drinking	Higher acidity	Varies by region, often high	Varies, often lower
Price	Affordable	Comparable or great value	Good value, more affordable than Champagne	Varies, can be more expensive

Conclusion: Finding the Right Bubbly Beyond Prosecco

Moving beyond prosecco offers a fantastic opportunity to explore a diverse world of flavors, production methods, and price points. From the complex, traditional-method sparklers like Cava and Crémant to the rustic and natural Pét-Nat, there is a bubbly for every palate. For those seeking non-alcoholic options, the market is flourishing with delicious NA sparkling wines and creative mocktails. Whether you're hosting a celebration or simply enjoying a refreshing drink, finding your perfect what can I drink instead of prosecco alternative is a journey worth taking. For further exploration, consider this guide on sparkling wine alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Spanish Cava is an excellent cheap alternative, especially Reserva Cava, which is made using the traditional method like Champagne but is often available at a similar price point to prosecco. Crémant from France is another high-quality, value-driven option.

High-quality non-alcoholic sparkling wines like Thomson & Scott 'Noughty' and La Gioiosa offer a convincing and flavorful alternative. You can also mix non-alcoholic spirits or juices with sparkling water for a refreshing mocktail.

Yes. While prosecco has a range of sweetness levels, Moscato d'Asti from Italy is a sweet, lightly sparkling wine with lower alcohol content and intensely fruity and floral notes. For an even sweeter option, a Demi-Sec sparkling wine would be ideal.

Yes. Cava is a great substitute for a drier, more complex flavor profile. For a sweeter spritz, you can use Moscato d'Asti. Alternatively, for a non-wine version, use tonic water or sparkling water for the bubbly element.

Cava and Crémant are both made using the Traditional Method, which involves secondary fermentation in the bottle, resulting in finer, more persistent bubbles and more complex, sometimes toasty flavors. Prosecco uses the faster and more affordable Tank Method, producing lighter, fruitier wines with frothier bubbles.

If you enjoy prosecco's fresh and fruity profile, a still Italian Pecorino or Pignoletto would be an excellent choice. These wines offer bright fruit and citrus notes without the bubbles.

Pét-Nat, short for Pétillant Naturel, is a natural sparkling wine made using the ancestral method with a single fermentation, often resulting in a more rustic, cloudy, and unpredictable wine with a gentler fizz. Prosecco uses a controlled double fermentation in a tank.