SINCE it is nearly Valentine’s Day again, I have been thinking long and hard about suggesting some alternatives to the traditional fizzy wine recommendations. But I have given up on that idea, having realised that sparkling wine is the only way to go on February 14.

Prosecco is a good alternative to Champagne if you are on a tight budget and it’s also very trendy.

The Co-operative’s own label Special Cuvée Prosecco is on offer this month, with a third off. It is pretty good too, approachable, flavoursome, fun, and nicely dry, with flavours of apple, pear and just a hint of almond.

Champagne doesn’t come cheaply, but at £26 Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Resérve is not astronomically expensive and will work with or without food. It meets all my Champagne requirements, with a persistent stream of little bubbles, subtle flavours of citrus and apple, and hazelnut also.

But pink fizz is perhaps the most traditional Valentine’s tipple of all, although rosé Champers is nearly always the more expensive. Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaïque Rosé is not badly priced, though, being on offer at £30. Quite rich, with a hint of toast and fine bubbles, it suggests strawberry, red cherry and citrus fruit.

Going a little more up market, Champagne Henriot Brut Rosé is an elegant fizz that should hit the spot. With bright, sherbety summer-fruit flavours, of strawberry and raspberry, it also shows mandarin orange with some toasty complexity too.

Or for something a little bit different, try Peller Estates Ice Cuvée Sparkling Rosé. It’s an off-dry pink fizz, the sweetness due to the addition of a little ice wine from Canada’s Niagara Peninsula. It would suit those with a sweet tooth, or would pair well with fruit based desserts.

Strawberry and peach scented, it has fruit pastille flavours of raspberry, cherry and citrus with notes of honeysuckle and a little spice.
 

• The Co-operative Special Cuvée Prosecco, £6.66 at The Co-operative 17/20

• Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Resérve, £26 from johnlewis.com 17/20

• Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaïque Rosé, £30 from greatwesternwine.co.uk 16/20

• Champagne Henriot Brut Rosé, £45.79 from robertsandspeight.co.uk 16/20 Peller Estates Ice Cuvée Sparkling Rosé, £25.95 from Slurp.co.uk 17/20