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lastdrop PATRICK HADDOCK NAVIGATES THE BOTTLE SHOP AT CHRISTMAS TO HELP YOU COMPILE THE PERFECT FESTIVE WINE LIST. AFTER ALL, 'TIS THE SEASON FOR TIPPLING. PARTY IN A GLASS Christmas. Just the mention of it is enough to make you want to drink. So if you're going to numb the pain of the compulsory annual family get-together, you might as well do it with a fine wine. The festive season is fraught with decisions about drinking. There are so many social and culinary scenarios to consider that you can end up over- catering and buying drinks you'd never dream of imbibing for the rest of the year. Needless to say, it's a particularly lucrative time for bottle shops, which experience increased sales of everything from fizz to fortifieds. Champagne pairs brilliantly with the holiday season, and never has it been cheaper to drink this imported French wine. Nothing says 'festive' more than a chilled glass of bubbly, whether it's Christmas Day or New Year's Eve. It's also a good match for oysters and smoked salmon, which are enthusiastically consumed during this period. A natural progression from bubbly are the white options: sauvignon blanc To get the celebrations off to a jolly start, here are a few selections to serve or gift-wrap. SPARKLING: CLOVER HILL A classic Tasmanian sparkling that combines the vibrant freshness of lemon and apples with yeasty intensity. MOSCATO: INNOCENT BYSTANDER Released in cans in time for the festive season, this is the ideal Boxing Day brunch wine. It's full of musk and Turkish delight aromas, with a balance of sweetness and acids. SHIRAZ: KALLESKE JOHANN GEORG This is a lavish gift from the shiraz gods – a beauty from the Barossa that is gloriously textured and weighted by intense fruitcake and chocolate flavours, with immense length. and riesling with white fish and prawns; chardonnay paired with turkey; and moscato, the hot new variety on the block. Never has there been such a surge in popularity as this. Moscato is light in alcohol, so you can drink it with abandon, and its slight sweetness and effervescence make it feel like a party in a glass. It can be drunk on its own or with fruit-based pavlova, too. Here are some options for red drinkers. Rosé should be chilled, and don't forget that pinot noir is great with duck or turkey – it can be chilled for half an hour before serving, which is a bonus. The rich fruit flavours of shiraz and cabernet complement dense Christmas pudding. Another star performer is sparkling shiraz, a peculiarly Australian style that always makes an appearance at Christmas. Its affinity with turkey makes it a popular choice. Finally, there are the stickies and fortified wines to pair with pudding and cheese platters to ensure you fuel your Yule with plenty of liquid cheer. Patrick Haddock is a wine and food writer, blogger and communicator. Two of his children sleep in beds, the rest age in a cellar. Visit: winingpom.com.au 35