Sparkling: The Story of Champagne, review: Anglo-French relations and Marilyn Monroe's top tip

As a party political broadcast on behalf of the fizzy stuff, Sparkling: The Story of Champagne (BritBox) did a sterling job. A parade of beautifully dressed representatives of France’s finest champagne houses appeared on screen to seduce us with their sales pitch and indulge in a little celebrity Top Trumps.

Bollinger has a partnership with Bond. Louis Roederer was a favourite of Tsar Alexander II. Lanson was granted a royal warrant by Queen Victoria. Winston Churchill drank Pol Roger every day. And did you know that Marilyn Monroe’s famous quote about going to bed in Chanel No 5 ended “...and wake up every morning with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck because it warms my body”?

“Most people remember the first part of the sentence,” said the gentleman from Piper-Heidsieck. “Unfortunately for us, they forget the second half.”

It was all perfectly pleasing, but at times felt like one of those promotional films you find playing on a loop when you turn on the television in a hotel.

It did a decent job of taking us through the history of champagne, though, courtesy of authors Donald and Petie Kladstrup, from Dom Perignon’s fabled “invention” of the drink in the 17th century (or was it really an English discovery? The jury is still out) to its popularity in the Napoleonic era, and its introduction to the US in the 19th century via "Champagne Charlie" Heidsieck.

Director Frank Mannion had given himself a cushy commission, asking gentle questions while clinking glasses. Bruno Paillard seemed a particularly generous host, opening a bottle outside his chateau.

“It’s 6pm – about the time for a bottle of rosé, what do you think?” he beamed. “I’ve nothing against tea but I prefer champagne.”

The latter part of the film featured producers of English sparkling wine, a joke in the not-too-distant past but now giving the French a run for their money.

The English are not allowed to call it “champagne”, but the Californians can get away with it due to some law or other. This upsets the French. “Champagne only comes from Champagne!” scoffed Paillard. “They have stolen the name!”

Mannion could have had more fun with this, but mostly stuck to his wine tour. Only once did he allow some mischief to sneak in. At Wimbledon (official champagne: Lanson) he vox popped the crowd on what they would be drinking. Champagne, of course, except for one man who declared he would be drinking a G&T. He was the PR man for Fever-Tree tonic.