We're positively bubbly about this season's drinks
CHRISTMAS IS A season of toasts and excesses - and a bottle of red, white or fizz is always a welcome gift.
Nothing kicks off celebrations like the pop of a champagne cork. James Owen, manager of Berry Bros & Rudd, recommends three varieties from champagne house Ruinart: Brut NV ($470), Rose NV ($607) and Ruinart Blanc de Blancs ($715).
He also suggests a selection of wines from the old and new worlds. The full-bodied red 1999 L'Esprit de Chevalier, from the Pessac-Leognan winery in Bordeaux ($295), is one for the cellar, as it should continue to mature over the next five years.
The 2003 Woodcutters shiraz ($278) from Torbreck Vintners in the Barossa Valley in Australia has hints of plum, black cherry, raspberry and cassis. Mr Owen says the wine is an excellent example of the younger shiraz vineyards of the Barossa.
Woodcutters' semillon ($281) is a medium to full-bodied wine combining fresh citrus fruit characters and a nutty richness obtained from barrel fermentation.
In the run-up to Christmas, Watson's Wine Cellar is offering a number of champagnes at promotional prices. These include Bollinger Special Cuvee ($468), Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial NV ($349) and Gosset Brut Excellence NV ($375).