Want to pop the cork without popping your savings this Christmas? Whether you’re picnicking, gifting or just surviving Christmas lunch, make merry with the best-value sparkling wines (with a few choice splurges). We reveal a list of the best Australian and international sparklings to make your summer fizz.
This dry sparkling riesling blend from South Australia’s Eden Valley is a beauty – dry, lightly herbaceous, with notes of lemon sorbet and white peach, and a zippy acid smack that sets your tastebuds fizzing. Grab a picnic rug, a baguette and some taramasalata, you’re ready to put the ‘fun’ in Funkelpunkt.
Hello, sunshine! This is your retro-vibing party starter – juicy pear and grapefruit fizz that’s as happy in a plastic cup as it is in a flute. Fresh, natural and pure joy in liquid form.
Imagine a classic picnic – chicken sandwiches, lush grass, cool breeze and rare silence while the kids are off hunting bugs. But hurry! The peace will end soon, so savour the toasted nuts, lime and honeysuckle notes, and quickly pour yourself another glass.
If you haven’t tried Tasmania’s Clover Hill before, we need to talk. This is a buy. Think crisp citrus and creamy brioche with a bright pop of lemon zest. Perfect for the elaborate long turkey lunch or just to enjoy with a classic bag of chips by the pool.
A family-run gem from Tassie that seriously overdelivers. Fine bubbles, green apple crunch and nutty brioche vibes. It’s got class, freshness and flair. Just add oysters (or your best friends).
A Tassie stunner! Eleven years on lees means all that biscuity, nutty richness wrapped around zesty citrus and silky texture. Elegant and complex, the kind of wine you whisper “worth it” to.
A natural delight – juicy red fruit, light fizz and zero fuss. Slightly wild but nicely balanced. Drink barefoot in the sun and savour the low-intervention purity; you might thank yourself in the morning.
The pop princess is popping bottles. Go on, you’ve wanted to try this. Juicy, luscious and a little extra – just look at that bottle! Richer and fuller than most prosecco rosés, it’s bold and bubbly, just like Kylie.
One word – GORGEOUS. Gorgeous price and gorgeous to drink. Delicate strawberries and cream, with a elegant fizz. No-one will guess this Yarra Valley sparkle is $25. I say, “Shut up and take my money”.
We know it, we love it. The ‘chicken wine’ has gone glam! Pops of lush raspberry and peach make this fresh French fizz feel like a sip of sunshine. With or without food, it’s all you’ll be drinking this summer.
Tasmania’s House of Arras is a fizz professional. Glossy pink bubbles, bright red berries, creamy fizz and sophisticated finesse. Bust out the pâté, prosciutto and pickles – your charcuterie soulmate has arrived.
Imagine frolicking through a berry field – lush strawberries, squishy raspberries and cool morning dew. Mix that vibe into a glass, and pow! You have this beautifully balanced, 97% pinot noir sparkling from northern Tasmania.
I’m testing your wallet now. But this is a show-stopper. Lush red berries, citrus and soft brioche richness. Elegant, refined and dangerously drinkable – breakfast Champagne, if budgets allow. Life’s short. Pop it.
Zesty, bright, and brunch-perfect. Sea-spray freshness meets pear and citrus lift. A light fizz that’s ideal with smoked salmon, or just because it’s Saturday.
A hundred events to bring a bottle to over summer? This premium Marlborough bubbly is the savvy solution, carrying the G.H.Mumm standard. Honeysuckle, lemon curd and stone fruit. I’d drink it any day of the week.
