Clicq gives it some verve

Leading champagne house Veuve Clicquot is introducing a gadget to help consumers drink straight from its 20cl bottles. The Clicq device snaps onto the tops of the bottles and is designed to be an improvement on drinking champagne through a straw. It will be launched worldwide next month and will be listed by UK multiple grocers. Initially it will be sold in a yellow pot which doubles as an ice bucket and contains four 20cl bottles and four Clicqs (rsp: £32-£35). A Veuve Clicquot spokeswoman said the move was aimed at meeting the growing demand for small bottles of bubbly. "The quarter bottle market now represents 3% of worldwide champagne sales and is growing fast," she said. "It also responds to the trend towards more informal drinking." {{DRINKS }}