The Oxford Wine Company, which runs five wine shops, is upping its focus on Champagne with a special tasting room at its Tetbury store.

The dedicated space is entirely given over to Champagne and offers many top cuvées, including 12 in magnum.

It will offer tasting samples via the Verre du Vin preservation system, with a different wine available to taste every month. It will also show video clips about Champagne.

Managing director Ted Sandbach said: “This is an exciting new venture which I feel is particularly suitable for our clientele in the heart of the Cotswolds. We’ve had a great deal of support from the major Champagne houses and we look forward to promoting their products while at the same time adding a further dimension to both our wine and spirits rooms.”

The firm is launching its Champagne room on Friday, December 14, and will host Julian White, the UK ambassador of the Confrérie du Sabre d’Or, who will demonstrate opening Champagne with a sabre.