Decades of experience and investment in forward-thinking viticulture and winemaking has resulted in an incredibly broad array of sparkling Australian wines – from easy drinking, frisky proseccos through to quirky, vibrant pét nats and a spectrum of world-beating non-vintage and vintage sparkling wines. At their best, Australian sparkling wines deliver layers of flavour, concentration, richness and refreshment factor, and the world stage is taking note.

Australian fizz is great with breakfast, brunch, long lunches, parties and all sorts of festive events. Having an array of styles stockpiled, from super casual through to fancy and then super impressive, is prudent. Australian sparkling shiraz – a unique combination of bubbles with lusty, rich red wine – is a near given at Christmas, many giving a Christmas-y infusion of dried fruits and nuts, sweet spices and red-flesh stone fruits. Australian sparkling red wines find great synergy with legs of ham, and make for great pairing with summer seafood. Lighter, fresher Australian sparkling wines – think prosecco, pét nat and affordable, non-vintage blends – provide pleasing, simple refreshment in their energetic, citrus and green apple fruit profiles. They’re ideal for warm days and casual dining, picnics and spreads of cut meats, salads and thrown-together leftovers. Simplicity, hand in hand.

Halcyon moments happen with Australian sparkling fine wines, be it blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs or blends of the traditional Champagne grape varieties chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Reserve wines, those that are kept maturing for blending to create more complex sparkling wines, are increasingly the norm. Layers of flavour, savouriness and patisserie characters, a coursing, saline minerality and spiced/nutty/toastiness all appear in bolder, character-filled Australian sparkling wine. Australia is in the fast lane for great sparkling wine, at all price points and styles, which is something else to really celebrate! Here are my picks for the season.

This vivid, party-time sparkling wine from Natural Order Wine (NOW) also comes in a can, holding a two-glass (or big single!) serve, for $10. It’s crunchy textured, bright and fruity, with streaks of energetic, rippling fizz, and made for the beach.

Col Fondo is a more traditional style of prosecco that sees yeast lees left in the wine for added hazy texture, nutty savouriness and brisk, mineral charm. This does all that with stacks of refreshment factor. Great with fish and chips.

The prestige French Champagne house Mumm has set its sights on pristine Tasmanian vineyards as a sideline to its traditional Champagne offerings. This is rich yet refreshing; a slice of Champagne from Down Under.

An epically deep, complex, spicy red wine forms the baseline for this vigorously bright and amazingly complex sparkling red. For the big days and the lavish spreads.

This Adelaide Hills winery focuses on savoury, powerful styles of sparkling wine, with this all-Chardonnay offering delivering brioche, salted cashew, ripe apple and gingery spice elements with brisk, tightly wound bubbles. It’s fancy in any language, and will take most equivalent priced Champagne to task.