Have a Bubbly Christmas!

It is that time of the year again, when you pop wine corks to spread Christmas cheer or bring in the New year with an excellent bubbly. Wines and champagnes are the drinks du jour of the festive season, and so they should be, as they perfectly capture the nostalgia of things past and the effervescence of new beginnings: December could almost be named the month of revels, for all the warmth and sparkle it brings.

This sparkle shines in the toasts at what may be the largest family gatherings of the year. Hosting a Christmas dinner at home may be on the cards, and planning the wine beforehand to go with the menu is key. A spicy nut mix or an antipasto platter with a sparkling wine like Wyndham Estate's S222 Sparkling Chardonnay will begin the evening on a splendid note. Or else, you could try a Brut(dry) or Extra dry champagne for an aperitif, like the luminously golden Perrier Joet Grand Brut.

The traditional Christmas roast beef will find perfect partners in full-flavored red wines such as Jacob Creek's reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. For discerning guests, a thick, ripe limited release Shiraz Cabernet will win praises for bold purple fruit flavors from the Shiraz and the currant and plum from its partner, with the added complexity of oak. Dessert wines are luscious with Christmas pudding or trifle, but the traditional and the most enjoyable way to give your guests their “just desserts” is actually a Sec (semi-sweet), or Demi Sec (sweet)champagne or even an exceptional vintage cuvee like the Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque 1996.

If hosting a dinner clashes with your already punishing schedule, you have an unharried alternative: invite your friends and family to a leisurely, midday Champagne brunch buffet. There are few ways as elegant to capture the holiday spirit as with a table laden with delicious food, champagne icing in buckets. Wine consumption will vary according to the time of the day, and guests will usually go easy on drinks during lunch. Cater for three glasses of wine per person, with a mix of 40 percent reds and 60 percent whites. One bottle for 8 people is a good estimate for champagne, but as we all know, it is always better to have more than less.

The festive period also involves exchanging gifts, and wine bottles make the perfect holiday gift. They are festive,come in delightful seasonal wrappings, and fit right in to the air of celebration. A “vertical” set of the last vintages of a favorite like Jacob Creek's Semillon Chardonnay; or two reds of different grapes like a Bin 444 Cabernet Sauvignon from Wyndham Estate and a dark Reserva Malbec from Bodega Etchart, would make an impression. Add a note with home recipes to go with each of the wines for that personalized touch.

And while buying for the festive times, you might as well take advantage of the saving offers going around by ordering a case of wines that will keep. This will be great for parties through the year or to savor anytime. John Maynard Keynes famously said: “My only regret in life is that I did not drink more champagne”.Just so you are never in his shoes, get ready to have that glass of champagne, that truffle and bite of foie gras, and have yourself a great holiday!