What the phrase means
The phrase usually points to budget sparkling wine or a casual substitute for Champagne, not to a legally defined wine style.
Wine Terms
What is poor man’s champagne?
Poor man’s champagne is an informal phrase people use for inexpensive sparkling wine or a simple sparkling drink used as a Champagne substitute. It is not a formal wine category or a quality guarantee.
How Pinotage differs
Pinotage is a still red wine grape associated with South Africa. It is better compared with red wines than with Champagne.