Cheap fizz or luxury champagne: can you hear the difference?

The sound of bubbles forming in a glass of fizz might reveal their size - often linked to quality - but choice of receptacle also plays a part, research suggests

With the bubbly flowing freely over the festive period, you may well wonder if you are being plied with top-notch champagne or fobbed off with cheap fizz. Now scientists say you don't have to have a discerning palate to find out.

Researchers using underwater microphones say the sounds bubbles make as they ping off the sides of the glass can provide tell-tale clues as to their size - a factor long thought to be linked to the quality of the wine. While recent research has suggested tiny bubbles might not lead to optimal aroma release, the theory is that the largest bubbles are found in cheaper booze.