L.A. WINELINE YOUR GUIDE TO BUBBLY.

Byline: - Larry Lipson

Like sweethearts themselves, romance and sparkling wine go hand in hand.

And with Valentine's Day on Saturday, rose bubbly will be chosen by many moonstruck couples as a romantic celebration drink.

But whether it's real champagne from Champagne or a sparkling wine from someplace else on the globe, there are several things to think about before choosing a bottle.

With the help of Domaine Ste. Michelle, the respected inexpensive sparkler from the state of Washington, we've come up with some basic thoughts on the matter.

First of all, remember there is a difference between real champagne and all other sparkling wines. Real champagne has to come from Champagne in France, made from grapes grown there.

Champagne producers make their bubblies under strict rules.

Generally speaking, real champagnes, even the least expensive nonvintage bruts, are better than most of the rest of the world's bubblies. You'll rarely find a regular-size bottle of real champagne under $28.

My favorite French labels are Krug and Bollinger. But that doesn't mean I won't settle for Taittinger, Pol Roger, Dom Perignon and Dom Ruinart, Roederer, Mumm, Moet & Chandon, Perrier-Jouet, Veuve Clicquot, Laurent Perrier, Pommery and others.

Rose champagne doesn't get much better than that produced by Billecart-Salmon.

It's just that they cost so much.

The best sparkling wines, real champagnes or not, are made by what is called the champagne method or ``methode Champenoise,'' which essentially means that the second fermentation occurs in each individual bottle.

So when you pick a sparkling wine, if you want better quality, check the label to see if it's a champagne method product. Chateau Ste. Michelle, despite its low cost, is one. So is Korbel.

Whatever your choice, drink it chilled. The ideal temperature is between 43 and 50 degrees. Immerse the bottle in a bucket of half ice and half water for half an hour, or leave it in the fridge for at least three hours.

There are approximately five glasses per bottle that can easily be stretched to six - or three each per couple. Serve it in a flute so you can appreciate the bubbles longer.

Also, if you scratch an ``X'' on the bottom inside of the flute lightly with a knife, the bubbles will cling and the result is a more dramatic beading of the bubbles throughout the wine's time in the glass.

Another point to remember is that generally the larger the bubbles, the cheaper the sparkling wine. Larger bubbles result in quicker flatness.

A good sparkling wine will seemingly bubble on forever.

Yes, caviar, oysters, truffles and chocolate-dipped strawberries go well with bubbly. But so does sushi, pizza and any well-seasoned or spicy food.

Be careful when opening a bottle of sparkling wine - there's a tremendous amount of pressure inside that bottle. Call it the small bang theory. When opened properly, the cork should pop out gently, not with a mighty explosion.

From Chateau Ste. Michelle's ``Bubbly Basics'' brochure, there's a toast to love:

``Let's drink to love - which is nothing until divided by two. I love you more than yesterday, less than tomorrow.''

Happy Valentine's Day.

AUSSIE DEAL: Our bargain wine of the month is not a sparkling wine, it's a shiraz-cabernet sauvignon blend from South Australia. Leasingham's Clare Valley Magnus 2001 bottling is on sale for $9.99 at Conejo Wine & Provisions, 1321 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, [phone].

With a cuvee of 52 percent shiraz, the same grape known in France and California as sirah, and 48 percent cabernet sauvignon, the result is a rich, velvety red that will go well with any red meat dish and serve as a fine Valentine's Day main course dinner wine.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com