Well, it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow and I daresay that at least some of you will be celebrating with a bottle of bubbles. Remember – it’s only Champagne if it’s been made in the Champagne region of France (and a whole pile of other rules on top of that!) – otherwise it’s “sparkling wine”.

A couple of years ago I made this short video showing the right way to open that special bottle – so you don’t spray yourself or your beloved with the wine, and don’t break anything with a rogue cork. It’s all just as true now as it was then!

If you’re looking for drinking inspiration a couple of my faves that won’t break the bank are the Midnight Cuvée from Blue Pyrenees (retails around $25), Stefano Lubiana’s NV sparkling from Tasmania (retails around $40). If you are looking to buy Champagne, think outside the box and seek out a grower Champagne. These are Champagnes made by the same estate that grows the wines so by extension they tend to be smaller, less well known names. One which is reasonably widely available is Larmandier-Bernier – the wines retail around the $80-90 mark.

Enjoy the video!