You may have chosen a modest cava from Spain, one of the many French regional sparklers, something special from the New World or that monarch of fizz itself - Champagne.

But whatever your choice is, you'll be keenly awaiting that moment when you can feel the mouth watering coolness of the glass as you raise it to your lips, smell the aroma of grapes and yeast, and hear and see the fine bubbles rising in the top of the glass.

So, what's all the fuss? Well, to most of us sparkling wine is perhaps not enjoyed on a day-to-day basis and is considered something special - something which makes us feel we are special when quaffing it.

There's an element of excitement as we prepare to open a bottle - will we drink it all or lose half of it in a gush as soon as the cork pops? Well, that's certainly something which could happen.

How can we avoid it? Well, it can't be totally guaranteed that you'll never lose another drop, but if you follow these few simple rules the chances are that you'll taste more of your bubbly from now on.

Firstly, using a towel or cloth, dry the bottle so that it doesn't slip in your hands.Then, remove the foil from the bottle neck. Carefully unscrew the wire frame which holds the cork in place.

Many would also suggest holding your thumb on the cork as you do this as a precaution. Remove the wire frame. Hold the bottom of the bottle firmly in your left hand with your right hand wrapped round the cork with your thumb on the top.

Holding the bottle at approximately a 45 degree angle, that is, with your left hand about six inches lower than your right, twist the bottle with your left hand to open it.

You have far greater control of the bottle if you follow this advice. The 45 degree angle seems to suppress the gushing out of precious liquid before you are ready for it, and with your thumb you can maintain pressure on the cork so you don't spill any wine. Also, using this method, there is less chance of a cork breaking.

Don't forget to clean the bottle mouth with a cloth before pouring. Pour a small quantity of liquid into your glass and let the froth die down before pouring in the rest. This makes pouring easier.

Fill the glass two thirds full, which allows you to appreciate the aroma and doesn't flatten the sparkling quality of the wine. If serving the wine outside, the bottle should be fairly well chilled as, after its poured into glasses it will warm up if not quickly imbibed. Return the bottle to a cooler or fridge after pouring. This will keep the wine cool and ensure that top-ups help to cool down what was left in your glass.

To finish, just a couple of don'ts.

Don't ever point an unopened sparkling wine bottle at anyone - it could be dangerous.

Don't ever shake up an unopened bottle as the racing drivers do - this too could lead to injury.

Happy drinking.