From Pét Nat to Prosecco, it's all about bubbles at Christmas

Don’t you just love Christmas? Stress and chaos aside, the festivities are fun.

And you know what makes it merrier? Bubbles!

Whether it’s Prosecco, Pét Nat, or Champagne – it’s the effervesce of life! This bubble-filled booze is a symbol of joy and celebration.

While my elf friends work overtime causing havoc in your homes, I spied with my little pixie eyes a few classy sparkling wines that are guaranteed to add some fizzy fun to brighten up your Christmas, New Year and long into the summer.

For those unfamiliar with pét nat-let me introduce you to this light, fruity delight. ‘Pétillant Naturel’ or ‘naturally bubbling’, is a wine made with little intervention. Nothing added in the beginning, and nothing filtered in the end – it’s as nudie as they come.

These wines are made with a single fermentation in tank, then bottled and sealed with a crown cap while still fermenting-trapping the carbon dioxide to create a tickling of bubbles, and they are usually drunk young to retain the fresh fruit vibes. Fun fact: this method produced the first-ever sparkling wine.

Traditional Champagne, conversely, undergoes a secondary fermentation (by adding juice for sugar) and is typically aged to mature to develop that characteristic gorgeous toasty complexity. Corked and bouncing with bubbles, Champagne follows a tradition, and the labels will reflect this.

As for which is better, think pét nat for brekky and champers for long lunches and dinners. Now, it’s present time! Let’s see what’s under our tree…

Walsh & Sons 2023 ‘Pet Nat Osmington’

Walsh & Sons is a brand you need to know. These wines deliver old-world finesse co-fermented with a new-world drive and vibe-a result of winemakers Ryan Walsh and Freya Hohnen’s stellar skills and pure love of wine.

People often speak about wines that ‘tell a story of place’… well, these two create wines that-tell a story of the human heart, of a passionate family’s DNA steeped in wine, and the incredible ability to translate all this into wines that speak of land, love and legacy. ‘Chill it, drink it, don’t overthink it,’ stamps Walsh & Sons.

What’s not to love about that, or this 100 percent certified biodynamic semillon pét nat!

‘Pop the top on this perky present, and you get a pow of flavour and a wow of fragrance. She’s light and bright on her feet, with custard apple and a cider-esque peep of pear. Grapefruit, white peach, linden and shavings of citrus zest wave hello while a subtle kernel of buttery popcorn dances amongst the delicate bubbles. A slight creaminess with a kicking crunch of acid plays around with the more-ish salinity on the palette

According to a decree from the laws of wine, only sparkling produced in the region of Champagne, in France, can be called Champagne. Therefore, I have some beautiful blanc de blancs for you to indulge in (feel free to call them champers at my table). Blanc de blancs are similar to Champagne in style. However, they are exclusively made from white grapes and mainly from the Queen herself-Madam Chardonnay. These wines are light, crisp, clean, pretty pictures of citrus complexity-with the ability to capture the place as much as the grape.

Dormilona Blanc de Blancs-Pét Nat

We have a pocket rocket powerhouse in our midst in the form of Josephine Perry, owner and winemaker of Margaret River’s cutest and first urban winery – Dormilona. This home-grown happy soul who spent countless vintages honing her skills overseas, particularly in Spain, undoubtedly deserves a sparkling spot on our bubbles tree. Her labels scream ‘vamos de fiesta’ and pouring her wines is like releasing a twinkling hologram, Jeanie-a layered, multi-coloured visual trail of her life’s ambition, dedication, and a natural winemaking flair interspersed by a brilliant light of wickedly whimsical creative brilliance. Her wines are pure enjoyment. This wine is a pét nat style blanc de blanc made from 100 percent biodynamic chardonnay grapes.

Unwrap and crack the cap, and she’s away. Fresh Meyer lemons and grapefruit spring into action, cushioned by a soft creaminess that makes you ask for more. Dry with a radiating halo of citrus fruits and a refreshing fine fizz. Joyful, fun, and dangerously good.

Idée Fixe Premier Brut

Idée Fixe’- a fixed idea or obsession…is this blanc de blanc. Sparkling wine has been a fixated passion for Vasse Felix winemakers, who have been crafting various styles of our fizzy festive friend since 1985. This fabulously iconic winery opened its dedicated sparkling house in 2020 under the leadership of Michael Langridge. They popped Idée Fixe on the radar, delighting all that crossed its path. Made by Méthode Traditionnelle with secondary fermentation, resting, and riddling (no, this is not whispering jokes to your wine, although how fun!). Riddling is an age-old process to loosen sediment in the bottle. It involves rotating the bottle in small increments tilting the neck down to collect the yeast residue for easy removal. Crafted from 100 percent chardonnay grapes grown south of the region, this wine has a unique streamlined elegance.

Unboxing this beauty is a maritime marriage of minerality, salt spray, and sunshine-releasing the finest beads of bubbles. Notes of green apple pie round out the fresh tang of just ripened plum, with a dash of delicate spice mingling amongst freshly baked bread notes. Graceful, yet powerful like the ocean.

Serve your sparkling alongside gifts from the sea, such as freshly shucked oysters, scallops, and sashimi. Blanc de blancs love anything cooked over coals, especially chicken. And all styles say yes to cheese! If any of these tickle your fancy, you can find them at your local bottle shop or treat yourself to a day of wine tasting and visiting their cellar doors. Each of these brands has a sled of incredible wines that you will want to sneak into Santa’s velvet sack with a card saying, Merry Christmas To Me!

And now it’s time I return to watch the elves at play, so I will say… Bounce on your bubbles, sparkle, and fizz; I wish you all a fantastic Christmas and a joyful New Year.

Have fun. Discover. Live. PP.

PS. I think we should give the Elf on the Shelf the boot and bring in the Tipsy Pixie!