Celebrating the Good Times

Every time I hear the word ‘Celebrate’ I immediately think of two things: Sparkling wine – usually Champagne, and Cool and the Gang – great disco music from the 1980s. 

Not everyone can afford Champagne and not everyone likes disco music, but to be honest with you after a few glasses of great sparkling wine the right music can be just about anything with a repeating rhythm and catchy lyrics.  

Your taste in music is your taste in music so let’s avoid that discussion and stick to wine. 

What are the great wines to ‘celebrate’ with? The natural and often first option is sparkling wine. Champagne seems like it’s becoming more affordable with some retailers selling brands at below $50.00, but you have to know what you’re buying. This seems like a great deal and it can be, however prestige Champagnes often hold their premium pricing. An excellent alternative to French sparkling wine is Methode Traditionnelle (look for these words on the label), it is made the same way as Champagne, often from the same varieties, and aged similarly too, at least twelve to twenty-four months is common – sometimes longer. A key difference between the two is usually brand recognition and that’s it. For great local options look to Methode Traditionnelle wines from Marlborough, Central Otago and the Wairarapa in the $50.00 to $200.00 range.

Choosing non sparkling wines to celebrate with are an adventure waiting to happen. Firstly though, you need to be prepared to spend more than the usual. By this I mean $60.00 when you normally spend $30.00. Or $150.00 when you normally spend $75.00.

Secondly, well known brands are more likely to deliver on concentration length, complexity and quality over brands you don’t recognise. That said when in doubt stick to what you know or seek some advice. 

Varieties and styles that help celebrations even more exciting can include: Aged Hawkes Bay Chardonnay; single vineyard expressions of Chardonnay, oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc and off-dry Riesling. If you prefer red to white then Pinot Noir with three to five years bottle-age can be delicious, a weighty aged Merlot or Merlot led blend can be fantastic and Syrah from classic regions such as Hawkes Bay, Northland, Marlborough, South East Australia and the Rhone Valley can be just the ticket to celebrate a special or exciting announcement.