Popping open a bottle of champagne is wonderful and decadent. The pop and hiss of the champagne bubbling away are often associated with celebrations, events or special treats. Yet, this sumptuous and often expensive tipple comes with a danger often overlooked: the cork.

Twist the bottle, not the cork is what is often invoked from the first time you hold a bottle of champagne. But we’ve done some digging to find some other quirky, and somewhat risqué, ways to open a bottle of champagne.

Whether you’re just starting out behind the bar, managing an entire venue, or a server who wants to pick up a few tips and tricks, there is little doubt that French wine will be on your agenda regularly.

Most hospitality venues offer up a French wine or two (or twenty!) to customers, and often all that is listed on the wine menu is the name of the drop and its region.

Which is why we have put together a beginner’s guide to France’s regions, so you can learn the difference between wine from Bordeaux and Provence, wax lyrical about terroir, and describe the climate or location of specific wines and grapes.

As a server or bartender, you may not have had the chance to serve sake before. But this popular Japanese drink is gaining widespread recognition around the world, making it well worth knowing about, especially if you want to become more versatile as a hospitality worker!

Get ready to start your sake education now, because we’re here to explain the basics.

There’s more to California than surfer bros and movie stars. The west coast of the USA has a long-established reputation for great wines. While Europe is still the dominant force in winemaking, sommeliers and bar staff should be aware of the breadth and quality of wine available from off the continent.

Rather than ‘defaulting’ to Italy or France, show the depth of your wine knowledge by confidently recommending drops from all around the globe.

Information is just a Google away, making each of your potential clients a wine ‘expert’. If you’re a sommelier or your venue prides itself on its wine list, it’s more important than ever to understand the differences between wine regions the world over.

Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina all produce unique, high-quality varieties of wine. Which are similar? Which would complement each other? A sommelier will be expected to have this expert knowledge.