It’s time to deck the halls and pop the bubbles this December as we near the end of another year and enter the festive season. Whether it’s Christmas Day, New Years Eve, or an unexpected visit from family, we have plenty of drops to fill your flutes with this December.
Peterson House, the Hunters largest bubbles producer, has every palate covered when it comes to the bubbly. Elevate your festive celebrations by popping one (or a dozen) of their exquisite drops. Discover the sensual allure of their Pink Blush Rose, a symphony of summer fruits and delicate florals that dance on your tongue and a perfect crowd pleasure for holiday evenings and gatherings. Or, indulge in the sweet, playful notes of their Dolce Per Tutti Moscato with its luscious hints of peach and honey, described by the Peterson’s team as a sip of sweet sunshine. Another crowd pleaser is their Prosecco Rose. Beautiful in colour and even more glam when served in the classic prosecco flutes, this wine is a harmonious blend of fruity and floral, creating an effervescent sensation to elevate your celebration. Discover the whole Peterson’s House range here, besides, life is pretty flat without bubbles!
Treat your guests (or yourself) to Dalwood Estate’s Hunter River Sparkling Chardonnay. Currently sitting at a cheeky $120 for a six pack (bargain!), this easy-drinking variety is hand-picked at night to the early hours of the morning, then gently pressed to retain absolute freshness with natural acidity. The wine enters a secondary ferment under the Charmat method for naturally occurring delicate bubbles then placed under a crown seal closure for both assurance of freshness and ease of opening.
Burrow into the sparkling range from Wombat Crossing Vineyard. A boutique vineyard, located on Hermitage Road, the Fuzzy Headed Wombat Sparkling Chardonnay is made exclusively from Blanc de Blanc style chardonnay grapes grown on the family owned and operated estate and is the perfect easy drinking style of bubbles for any festive event.
Indulge in Hungerford Hill’s rich and robust Cardinal Sparkling Shiraz. A deep, intense ruby red coloured bubbly, this wine has dark berry aromas with subtle undertones of peppers and oaks. With a medium bodied structure with well-integrated tannins and smooth texture, the sparkling nature of the wine adds a refreshing and invigorating quality to the mouthfeel. Or, opt in for the Vigneron’s Reserve Sparkling Shiraz made exclusively from their small-batch shiraz vineyard and fermented naturally in the bottle for a minimum of three years, simply delicious!
A delicious blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Semillon, First Creek’s NS Botanica Brut Cuvee combines two of the Hunter Valley’s best white varietals in bubble form. A perfect sparkling varietal to accompany any celebration, easy night in with some R&R or even if you’re just in the mood for a bit of bubbly.
Tulloch Wines have you covered for bubbles this holiday season. Secure a bottle or two of their Verscato for the sweet tooths of the family. With aromas of violets, rose petals and Turkish delight, the Verscato is well balanced in sugar and acid, creating a deliciously fruity finish. The Tulloch Prosecco boasts a refreshing lively palate of tinned pear and white peach, perfect for celebrating or a simple night in. Or, the Tulloch Cuvee Sparkling Vineyard Selection promises a fruit driven drop, with aromas of fresh lemon zest and ripe strawberry with delicious green apply and citrus flavours, perfect for young cellaring too.
A drop on the alternative side is Stomp! Wines Sparkling Chambourcin. A unique bubble style, known for conversation starting, the wine is vibrant red in colour with enticing aromas and flavours of sweet red berries, cloves, liquorice and soft peppers. Delicious with a roast, a cheeky chocolate infused dessert or just good company, this bubbly Chambourcin is perfect for those traditional Christmas festivities and foods.
Get your fizz on with Iron Gate Estate’s Blanc de Blanc. Harvested in the early hours of the morning to retain freshness and acidity, this wine is light straw-green in colour with small bead and long-lasting mousse. Sweet and crisp aromas of green peach, apple and grapefruit tickle the nose complimented by an elegant palate of passionfruit, peach and citrus. Or, sip and savour Iron Gate’s Sparkling Rose Georgia. Pink, fresh a lively with rose bud and berry aromas, this sparkling rose posses a slightly sweet palate with a refreshing, sherbet finish. Both bubbles simply deliciously downable.
Savannah Estate produce a range of crowd-pleasing, fun sparkling’s, an ode to the winemaker Savannah herself. For everyday and every-palate, easy drinking fizzy, pop a bottle of the Sparkling Cuvee. For the sweeter tooth, consider the Savannah Sparkling Moscato. What the team refers to as ‘Party in a Glass’, this drop is infused with scents of rose petals and musk sticks whilst the plate is ever so slightly spritzy and sweet.
Venture slightly north of the Hunter to Denman and discover the delectable bubbles range from Hollydene Estate. Awarded best in Australia, the Hollydene JUUL Sparkling Blanc de Blanc will show your guests just how much you appreciate them. With numerous awards under its name, this sparkling was produced from cool climate Chardonnay grapes and was made by “Methodé Traditionelle” which has been left on the yeast lees prior to disgorgement. This wine is delicate with a nice balance of acid. It has the aromas of lemon & apples and a few smells of the bakery. The palate is long with a lovely soft fruit character.
Tyrrell's Blanc de Blanc comes entirely from the dry-grown Casuarina Vineyard, planted in 1990. The Casuarina Vineyard in located on Hermitage Road, only a couple of hundred metres north of our iconic HVD Vineyard. The sandy, alluvial soils at Casuarina are ideal for growing super-premium whites. The wine spent approximately 8 years on lees before being disgorged in June 2023. The disgorging liqueur was house made using aged (23-year-old) Vat 47 Chardonnay stock and a 10-year-old brandy spirit. This vintage Blanc de Blanc is a purely estate grown, made and produced premium sparkling wine and represents the epitome of sparkling winemaking at Tyrrell’s.
'The Boss' Semi Dolce Rosso by Thomas Allen Wines is an Aussie take on the classic Italian Lambrusco style. Fragrant and fruity with a slight sparks or spritz (frizzante in Italian), this wine is totally uncomplicated and is both fun and endlessly food friendly.
Only a hop, skip and a jump out of Pokolbin, you will find 1813 Wines within the picturesque tiny town of Broke Fordwich. Their Five Shillings Sparkling Verdelho mirrors a similar style to Prosecco; light, fresh and vibrant with exuberant aromas of crisp apple, nashi pear and green melon. Its tingling bubbles and refreshing acidity tantalise the senses, making a delightful partner to brighten any occasion. Or, for the sweeter tooths secure a dozen or two of their tempting Moscato. Perfect to be enjoyed poolside on a warm Summer day.
