Peter McCombie – Master of Wine, speaker, consultant and co-chair of the International Wine Challenge

Our experts also pointed out that it's a great drink to have without food (in moderation, of course), so works well as a starting point for festivities before you move on to mellower options with your meal. Consider sweetness Dry champagne is easier to match with food. Sweeter wine such as prosecco is best served without food. Vintage champagne, on the other hand, is made using grapes harvested from a single year, which will be displayed on the label.Follow our tips for chilling your champagne to serve it at the right temperature and you'll be rewarded with the best of the flavour – and your bubbly won't end up all over the floor: If you like it hot, serve with spice Fizz accentuates chilli, so a glass of champagne pairs well with hot, spicy dishes.

Supermarket Christmas food 2023 – from starters and sides to desserts and sweet treats, we've rounded up special festive food from supermarkets including Aldi, Co-op, M&S and more Serve with cheese Champagne pairs well with most types of cheese, particularly creamier cheeses. Champagne and comté is a classic pairing. Fail to chill your champagne properly and you'll end up with fizz flying everywhere. Our experts warned that a warm bottle is a recipe for an explosive opening. Pair with vegetarian food Champagne tends to work better with vegetarian dishes, as opposed to heavier meat options. Non-vintage champagne is considered a highly skilled art of blending; it means that if you buy a particular brand or product, you know roughly what to expect taste-wise.Luc, fils de Philippe, alors Président, consolida les activités commerciales de la maison sur les marchés traditionnels français. Porteur d’image de la Champagne et de la marque MONTAUDON, il développe plus particulièrement l’activité internationale. A travers ses multiples voyages dans le monde, il prend des positions importantes dans de nombreux pays et impose la gamme MONTAUDON, reconnue par les consommateurs (des experts aux amateurs). Once opened, it's best to drink champagne within three to five days; after this it might lose its fizz. You may have heard that a wad of kitchen paper or a teaspoon in the bottle can help retain bubbles but, according to our experts, neither of these methods are particularly effective. Sam Caporn – Master of Wine, consultant, speaker, writer and co-chair of the International Wine Challenge Non-vintage champagne can last unopened for three to four years, while vintage champagne (from a single year's harvest) can be kept for as long as 10 years. Some people will prefer to store it for a while before opening to allow it to age. Helen McGinn – Author, drinks writer, TV presenter and co-chair of the International Wine Challenge

Best wine coolers – our expert guide reveals the top-scoring models for temperature accuracy, stability, energy efficiency and more Live well, eat better and stay healthy – sign up to our free monthly Food & Health newsletter for the latest insights delivered straight to your inbox Smoked salmon and champagne The popular pairing of champagne with smoked salmon might be influenced more by status rather than taste, as historically both were considered expensive luxuries. Our experts said the champagne acts like a squeeze of lemon, providing acidity to cut through the richness of the salmon. As long as you choose a dry champagne, it's not a bad match.Chill with ice and water If your fridge is overflowing, chill the bottle in a container filled with ice and water – this works better than ice alone. We asked a panel of independent wine experts to blind-taste a selection of champagnes to uncover the best supermarket bubbly. That's great for when you want a consistently delicious drink. Our experts were impressed by some of the supermarket offerings in this area when we tested, which they saw as 'safe' choices, especially if you're entertaining.