Pop Stars: Six Champagnes For Every Festive Moment
From office parties to NYE fireworks, here are the bottles that deserve pride of place in the ice bucket this season.
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If you are planning to celebrate properly this year, your Champagne list needs to work as hard as your social calendar.
So we asked Tamara Grischy, General Manager at LANGTONS, to curate a line-up of bottles tailored to every key moment of the festive season, from the end-of-year company party to that final New Year’s Eve toast.
Her selection moves from richly styled magnums and Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs to benchmark prestige cuvées, with each Champagne chosen to shine in a specific setting, whether a seafood-laden long lunch, a beach escape, or an evening with a serious wine collector.
All you need to do is pick your occasion, chill the bottle and let the celebrations take care of themselves.
To open at the end of the year work party
GOSSET Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne MV Magnum, $275
Gosset Grande Reserve Brut from magnum makes a celebratory statement at any end-of-year party thanks to its rich winemaking heritage—blending Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier sourced from premier and grand cru vineyards, and aged for a minimum of four years, all from the oldest winemaking house in Champagne, established in 1584.
With top critic scores (91 Robert Parker, 92 James Suckling, 90 Wine Spectator) and a style that avoids malolactic fermentation to preserve freshness and a racy tension, the team will love the vibrant orchard fruit, subtle pastry notes, and a long, elegant finish in every glass.
To enjoy during a long weekend away at the beach
BLIARD-MORISET Brut Blanc de blancs Grand cru, Champagne NV, $85
Bliard-Moriset Brut Blanc de blancs Grand cru is made entirely from Chardonnay grown in the renowned Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger—a perfect match for seafood or a fresh beach lunch, with elegant balance and lively citrus freshness shaped by over 40% reserve wine and a minimum 24 months’ ageing on lees.
Produced with careful manual harvesting and sustainable, integrated viticulture, this Champagne offers precise orchard fruit and a crisp, lingering finish, making it an uplifting companion to a relaxed coastal escape.
To pair with a fresh seafood platter during summer
VAZART-COQUART & FILS 82/15 Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, $260
Vazart-Coquart & Fils 82/15 Blanc de Blancs, crafted entirely from Grand Cru Chouilly Chardonnay and based on a perpetual reserve dating back to 1982, delivers exceptional
freshness, finesse, and complexity—making it a standout match for a summer seafood platter.
Fine notes of citrus, white flowers, and sea spray, along with an energetic and saline finish, cut perfectly through the richness of shellfish and oysters, celebrating the bounty of the season with precision and style.
To share with loved ones at the Christmas lunch table
KRUG 171st Edition, $471.99
Krug 171st Edition is the choice for Christmas lunch, blending 131 wines from 12 different years, including reserve wines as old as 2000, to deliver a deep and complex Champagne with bright freshness and layers of festive spice, citrus, brioche and toasted almond.
Awarded 99 points by leading critics, its vibrant mousse and long, elegant finish provide the perfect toast to family and togetherness, enhancing every special dish and sparkling conversation at the festive table.
To open with the fellow wine fanatic in your life
JACQUES SELOSSE Champagne Selosse Brut Rosé, $1,600
Jacques Selosse Brut Rosé is the perfect bottle to open with a fellow wine fanatic, offering rare complexity from an artisanal blending of two vintages of Avize Chardonnay with Pinot Noir from Ambonnay, aged in Burgundian barrels and matured for six years on lees before release.
This Champagne, often described as one of the world’s most thrilling rosés, serves up layers of wild strawberry, pomegranate, honey and spice, with electric acidity and a notably long finish—a benchmark grower Champagne that invites discussion and admiration from even the most seasoned enthusiasts.
To pop when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve
TAITTINGER Comtes de Champagne Rosé, Champagne 2011, $579
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé from 2011 is a prestige vintage, made only in exceptional years and comprising Grand Cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, including a generous proportion of still red wine from Bouzy to achieve a beautiful depth of colour and aromatic intensity.
With layers of wild strawberry, cherry, orange zest, pastry and a fine mineral finish—plus a 96-point rating from James Suckling—its energy, elegance, and celebratory flair make it the ultimate bottle for that first toast of the new year.
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Convenience is no longer the enemy of quality, with premium pre-mixed cocktails winning over consumers and judges alike.
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The rapid growth of premium ready-to-drink cocktails is showing no signs of slowing, with Australian producers increasingly proving that convenience and craftsmanship can coexist.
The trend was highlighted after South Australian distiller Never Never Distilling Co. claimed the title of World’s Best Contemporary Premix at the World Drink Awards in London for its Panettone Negroni.
While pre-mixed drinks have traditionally been associated with mass-market products, a new generation of premium bottled cocktails is targeting consumers seeking bar-quality drinks at home.
Never Never’s award-winning Panettone Negroni is based on the classic Italian cocktail but incorporates Australian ingredients including local aged muscat and orange liqueur, alongside the company’s Triple Juniper Gin.
The cocktail was originally developed at the distillery’s McLaren Vale venue before being bottled for wider distribution.
The international recognition reflects a broader shift in consumer behaviour, with premium spirits brands increasingly investing in sophisticated ready-to-serve offerings that require little more than pouring over ice.
Never Never co-founder Sean Baxter said the cocktail had become one of the company’s most popular serves at its cellar door before making the transition to retail shelves.
“It has always been one of our most popular drinks at the venue, so much so that we decided to bottle it so we could share it far and wide,” he said.
The latest accolade adds to the distillery’s growing collection of international awards, following previous wins for World’s Best Classic Gin and World’s Best London Dry Gin.
Industry observers say the success of premium bottled cocktails reflects growing demand for products that deliver a luxury drinking experience without requiring consumers to stock multiple spirits, liqueurs and mixers.
As consumers continue to entertain more frequently at home, the category is increasingly being viewed as a premium offering rather than simply a convenient alternative.
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On October 2, acclaimed chef Dan Arnold will host an exclusive evening, unveiling a Michelin-inspired menu in a rare masterclass of food, storytelling and flavour.
