It is the season when everything should sparkle; including some of the wines we are going to drink over the festive period. I love a good bubbly; everything from Champagne to Prosecco — depending on the time of day, who I am with and what I am eating.

Happily, in these testing financial times, I am not a Champagne-only girl; while I love it with food, I often find it too austere for drinking on its own. Consequently, my sparkling choice for parties or to serve as an apéritif is nearly always something that is a touch less dry and more refreshingly fruit forward.

I have deferred to my friends and let them pick out some of the favourites that they have tasted ‘chez-moi’ in 2009, and here is the top five.

Everyone fell for the charms of Graham Beck’s NV Western Cape Sparkling from South Africa. It is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and is the perfect balance of elegance and fruitiness. It is not overly dry either and we were all agreed that it was the sort of wine that left you wanting more. From Waitrose Wine (www.waitrose wine.com £12.34 a bottle) Another top performer was the French Jean-Louis Denois Méthode Traditionelle Chardonnay-Pinot Noir Brut (£13.95 www.leaandsandeman.co.uk) which was perceived to be ‘quite Champagne-like’, but it was its powerful, effervescent personality that won people over.

Denois makes his sparkling wines just outside Limoux in the south of France and it proved a popular region, delivering another top performer in The Wine Society’s Cuvée St. Laurent 2007 (£8.95 www.thewinesociety.com) which was deliciously sparkling with a soft mousse and lots of bready citrus fruits. I loved this at the price. A real bargain.

It is hard to find anyone that does not like a delicately fizzy Prosecco and I have had several crackers this year. The one that really charmed my friends was Toffoli’s Prosecco Rosé. It was so exuberant, fresh and filled with cheeky red berry fruits. We all loved it. It costs £9.35 at Savage Selection in Northleach (www.savageselection.co.uk) In previous years, I have not been enthusiastic about Cloudy Bay’s Sparkling Pelorus. However, I have had a fair bit of it this year and have come to the conclusion that some of the samples I have tasted previously have come from ‘newly-landed’ stock.

The bottles that I have had squirreled away for a few months are hugely better and always popular. It is very classy sparkling with that lovely biscuity quality to the fruit that I really like. (£16.99 from The Oxford Wine Company www.oxfordwine.co.uk) For me, Champagne is a very personal choice and it is the drink I find the hardest to recommend because people have such strong allegiances. So, I am going to pick out the two that I will be buying. The first is the Marguet Père et Fils Brut Rosé (£26.60 www.savageselection.co.uk) which I discovered this year. It is enchanting and sophisticated and I am thrilled to have discovered it.

If you are on the hunt for a deal there are plenty about but Pol Roger Reserve NV (reduced from £37.50 to £24.99 at www.majestic.co.uk) is a deliciously good buy with its rich, creamy fruits.

Whatever you choose, savour it and enjoy the festivities.

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