PARTY POPPERS

Add a little sparkle to any celebration with a lively glass of fizz. Sommelier SAMANTHA PAYNE guides us through her picks for the festive season.

- SAMANTHA PAYNE

Bubbles. Fizz. ‘Champers’. No matter what you call it, sparkling wine can’t help but evoke a sense of excitement in people as they hear the gentle hiss of a bottle being opened. With a resurgence of the traditional ways of making sparkling, there’s never been a more exciting time to enter into the world of fizz, from classic French styles to lively left-of-centre drops.

SPARKLING WINE

1 2006 Arras ‘E.J. Carr’ Late Disgorged, Tasmania, $200 This is the ninth consecutive release of this extraordinary wine, named after the “Godfather” of sparkling wine in Australia, Ed Carr. It seems almost impossible that a 15-year-old sparkling wine could be fresh and vibrant, but that is the magic of this Tasmanian bottle from what is easily Australia’s best house of sparkling. houseofarras.com.au

2 NV Jo Landron Brut ‘Atmosphères’ Muscadet, France, $51 A blend of 75 per cent folle blanche and pinot noir grapes from vineyards that are up to 30-years-old, and made in the traditional Champagne method, this sparkling wine is consistently delicious year after year. Its fragrant floral nose and bright citrus notes would pair wonderfully with a combination of summertime salads. differentdrop.com

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