Pop singer Kylie Minogue has secured another hit for herself, this time in the world of wine as her Prosecco rosé has become the number one brand in the UK after just 10 months, according to Neilson data.

Staying in alone and meticulously researching different wines on the internet until you have achieved a reasonable level of proficiency? Sure, or that. Oh, here we go, another celebrity with a vanity alcohol brand. Is this a vanity alcohol brand, though, or is it the nation’s favourite alcohol brand? Did you say there was a third reason? Oh, yes. It’s that wine is difficult, people are stupid and sometimes it’s just easier to buy a bottle of something if it’s got a pop star’s name on it.The Princess of Pop developed her range of wines with Australian businessman Paul Schaafsma, chief executive of English distributor Benchmark Drinks, who has also developed wines for other celebrities including English singer-songwriter Gary Barlow and Scottish chef Gordon Ramsey. It seems the 54-year-old is taking her winemaking seriously. If you can feel the cork pushing to leave the bottle already, get a glass ready. Otherwise, with the bottle gripped in one hand, slowly pull up the cork with the other. It may be quite stiff at first – if so, alternate pulling and twisting motions – but as you go you'll start to feel the pressure from within helping you out. Again, why? Well, there are three possible reasons for this. The first is that it’s actually good. And, who knows, it might be. After all, Decanter has called it “lively, fresh and a little fruitier on the palate”. From here on in, keep the bottle pointed away from yourself and anyone present, especially people's faces – about a 45 degree angle is good.

According to brand owner Benchmark Drinks, Minogue recently hit her million bottle milestone, making her collection one of the fastest-growing and most successful wine brands to have launched in Britain. I wonder how traditional winemakers feel about this. Probably the same as traditional children’s authors when celebrities started churning out books as an additional revenue stream (Kylie published The Showgirl Princess in 2006), or fragrance houses when celebrities did the same with scent (Darling by Kylie Minogue was released in 2007).The Prosecco Rosé comes from Gambellara, Italy, and is 85 percent Glera and 15 percent Pinot Nero. The first thing you notice about it is the unusual bottle, which is covered with little hearts. I like it so much I’ve turned it into a candle holder, now the drink inside is long gone. However, it might be a bit too girly for some consumers – especially with the kiss on the cork as well.

Kylie Minogue: Aussie soap fan favourite, pop music superstar, style icon – and, since 2020, creative director of her own wine brand. And who are Kylie’s celeb competitors in this arena? Graham Norton has a prosecco. So do the Delevingne sisters. And Amy Childs, who used to be on The Only Way is Essex. The alcohol-free drink is, apparently, Kylie’s tipple of choice from her own selection. So we decided to put both of these drinks to the test (we know, it’s a hard life).When opening a bottle of prosecco, remember it will behave far better and more predictably if it has been left to sit and chill for a few hours. Warmth and/or rough handling both make for an explosive cork situation, meaning more mess and waste. Fizz should go into glasses, not onto ceilings. Make sure you have your glasses ready and within easy reach. Then, take your bottle and remove the foil; there should be a tag or perforation line to make this easy and neat. The singer launched her eponymous wine range in the UK with a southern French rosé on 28 May last year to coincide with her birthday, and in less than a year has expanded the brand to include an organic Cava, Margaret River Chardonnay, Côtes de Provence rosé, Languedoc Merlot and Gascony Sauvignon Blanc. A supermarket, celebrity wine can be one of two things- overly hyped because of the heavy marketing or, a really surprisingly good wine with plenty of hype for all the right (tasty) reasons. But I suppose you can’t argue with success. Of course not. It also helps that this is the most perfect brand extension ever. Kylie is light and fun and bubbly, just like her wine. What could possibly be more fun than buying a bottle of Kylie Minogue fizz on a night out?

Christ, why? Because these people are celebrities, that’s why. They live to serve the public. And sometimes that means bottling their very essence for the enjoyment of the greater world. Kylie received a special commendation at the drinks business awards for best launch of the year alongside Benchmark Drinks. One judge said of the launch, “if there was one product launch that really captured the headlines this year, then it was Kylie’s wine,” said one judge of this entry, with all agreeing that the brand had done well in winning over both consumers and critics. They also admired the brand’s impressive sales stats and bold expansion plans. I got my hands on the bottle and thought it looked like any other supermarket bubbly rose, the hearts were a lovely touch although it did make me think this might not be a great wine. I'm always apprehensive when too much effort has gone into the bottle as it sometimes is an overcompensation but nevertheless, I continued testing openminded.

It’s only 22 calories per 100ml – which is around 80 fewer calories per glass than a standard glass of Prosecco – making it a delicious, lighter alternative. It was really refreshing and had notes of fresh strawberries. Like the other drink, it had a pleasant amount of fizz and it was enjoyable to drink, even on its own. Kylie’s No Alcohol Sparkling Rosé has a plain bottle but the prominent zero indicating it contains zero percent alcohol is in the shape of a heart. It is described as “a complex and finely balanced sparkling rosé, minus the alcohol.”