As Christmas ebbs and Boxing Day flows, it’s time to get on the recovery wines, so a tangy, ‘adult lemonade’, off-dry riesling is suggested for ‘hair of the dog’, and sessionable, boutique brewery lagers are dispatched for the cricket.  New Year’s rears its head and I’m suddenly a Champagne expert. I’ll likely lead the cohorts into weird and wonderful pet nats, the naturally sparkling wines that have become the darling of the natural wine world. Or, at a pinch, some really excellent renditions of Australian prosecco. Alongside ‘value’ wines, I’m highlighting lighter spirits and spritz cocktails made with seasonal fruit or shrubs (cordials), and supporting local breweries. I’m also advocating ‘less is more but better’ as a mantra. Conspicuous consumption has been the rage for many years, but this season I’m pitching at elevating the experience, rather than forgetting it. Shout out for advice.

The fruit for this wine, made by the gregarious Sam Scott, comes from King Valley in Victoria, renowned for Italian grape varieties. This is an exuberant, refreshing fizz that also shows a touch of class.

Biodynamic farming underpins the winemaking at Stefano Lubiana, and this nonvintage wine drinks like a host of great Champagne. It’s toasty yet fresh, bready but citrusy. It’s very good.

I’ve made the call: this is an outstanding rosé, and the price is ludicrous. It’s such a delicious thing to drink. A dry, savoury style with sour-cherry tang and a lick of herbal things going on. Unreal.

Oakridge is one of Australia’s most renowned chardonnay producers. This is its ‘entry level wine’, yet shows all of the DNA of its finer offerings. It’s lean, racy, refreshing and a perfect thirst-quencher.

This wine combines a host of whitegrape varieties in a textural, vibrant white of fresh-cut stone-fruit flavours and aromas, with a hint of nougat/brioche savoury-sweetness in the mix (though it finishes dry). Where are the cold cuts?

A curious blend of pinot gris and pinot noir that results in a barely medium-bodied, reddish wine of crunchy texture and rosehip tea characters. Wow, is this thing delicious! I imagine it with a good chill and a lot of leftovers.