Festivity. Celebration. Merrymaking. All interchangeable, but all so often predictably orientated to a caste system of drinking. Whether birthday party or wedding, the first association many people have with momentous events is the raucous pop and cheer of Champagne or sparkling wine.

I want to start a small revolution. The fizzy winemakers have done a very great job of marketing their wines to us over the years, but we can consider other ways of creating special moments. There’s a raft of fun-loving drinks that equally work their mojo for major occasions.

I like to kick off parties with straight vermouth, served on the rocks with various citrus rinds theatrically grated into the glass. There’s plenty of wicked-drinking, imported artisan vermouths like Vergano, $45, from Italy, or you can seek out the light yet complex flavours found in Castagna, $45, created from indigenous botanicals in Victoria.

Next up, chilled, lighter reds and rosés work a treat. Sure, it’s not quite as dramatic as cannonballing a cork out of a Champagne bottle, but decanting something pinkish and splashing it around in tumblers to be guzzled with gusto has its own mojo. Follow up with a broad selection of wines to mix and match with.

Rounding out a party, avoid big, bold reds that tend to make folks a tad sluggish. Whip out some Campari or Aperol and make DIY spritzers with leftover white wine and soda water. Light, fun, thirst-slaking, refreshing. Bring in the new era of celebrating.