These are worrying times for the king of sparkling wines, but the star performers somehow manage to sail through the choppy waters of international trade without any apparent feather-ruffling.

Figures released this month by Champagne's governing body the CIVC make worrying reading for those whose livelihoods depend on perpetuating the perception of Champagne being the ultimate sparkling wine. It is, obviously, with a tradition of excellence – in marketing as well as winemaking – going back centuries, but recently non-champagne fizzes have been encroaching.

Prosecco and Cava have undermined Champagne on a price basis, while other regions of the world are producing exceptional bubblies at a more affordable price. Poor vintages have put some pressure on the reserves of Champagne producers, and the breadwinner cuvée – the non-vintage blend that makes most money for producers – is stagnating.

You would imagine that Champagne's search results would be taking a hit too, but that's not necessarily so. Our last list of the the most searched-for Champagnes was two years ago and it really hasn't changed much – there is only one new entrant on the list and the rankings are almost identical.

What it does reflect, though, is the malaise among non-vintage blends and the increased interest in prestige cuvées. The two basic NV wines on the list are the ones that traditionally have been top-ranking wines, but there is a suggestion that they are not as popular as they once were.

Searches for Moët, like most Champagne searches, peak in December, as festive occasions make people think of bubbles. Last December, however, its search rank peaked at a lower level than the previous December. From 2014 to 2017, Moët's peak ranking was in the 20s around Christmas (in 2017 it was the 20th most searched-for wine); last December it peaked at #31. Similarly, Veuve spent the period 2014-17 with a peak ranking comfortably in the 40s; last December it managed to get to #60.

The prestige cuvées are going in the opposite direction – if they aren't keeping up to past levels, they are outstripping them, suggesting that the consumer is gradually changing to a "drink better" philosophy. Which is nice for the expensive brands, of course, but it must surely be sending a chill through the accounts departments of even the bigger houses, never mind the poor growers.

1. Dom Pérignon Brut Dom has been the perennial favorite among Wine-Searcher users (especially in the US), so it's no surprise to see it top the charts again. The only question that it raises, perhaps, is about whether it can ever be superseded as the world's favourite Champagne?

2. Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Another popular favorite, from the 19th Century royal courts of Europe to the rap mansions of the early 21st Century. One of the highest-scoring wines on the list (aggregate critic score is 94), with an average price to match at $257.

3. Krug Brut Ah, where would this list be without Krug? Well, two wines lighter for a start. This, the "standard" Krug remains a byword for excellence and luxury and is one of six LVMH wines on the list.

4. Salon Cuvée S Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Part of the Laurent-Perrier group, Salon has been popular with our users since Wine-Searcher started 20 years ago. Made with grapes from a grand cru-rated part of Champagne, it bears a 95 aggregate score and a $617 average price.

5. Moët & Chandon Brut Dropping a place from the last list, this wine is so ubiquitous, we started using it as a benchmark to measure how comparatively expensive different markets are. A genuine benchmark bottle.

6. Bollinger La Grande Année Brut This wine crept into 10th place on the 2017 top 10 list, but it has quietly climbed back up the charts since peaking at #35 in the overall rankings back in December 2017. James Bond's favorite Champagne will set you back an average of $119, which is a pretty good deal.

7. Dom Pérignon Rosé Displaced by the Bolly, this rosé version of our top wine is almost twice as expensive ($342 average versus $189 for the brut), but then it outscores it on aggregate by 94 to 91, too. Unusual among Champagnes, in that searches for it peak in summer as well as December.

8. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut The second of three blanc de blancs-style wines on the list, this is probably the pick of the bunch when it comes to quality-price ratio. It has an aggregated critic score of 94 and an average price of $156.

9. Krug Clos de Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut Krug's top-of-the-line cuvée didn't make the top 10 in our last list, but it has improved its ranking steadily in the past two years, despite it's $1204 average price tag. Another wine that hits its peak searches in summer time.

10. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Down two places from 2017, Veuve still hangs on to a spot in the top 10 most wanted Champagnes. When you think of some of the big-name Champagnes that it has outstripped to make this list, you get some idea of its reliability and consistency.

To view on Wine-Searcher, please click here.