For those of us who enjoy a drop of the good stuff, unwrapping a bottle of something rare or interesting on Christmas Day is a delight. Here’s our selection — a wish list if you will — of top tipples for the festive holiday.
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It’s quite hard to hide the surprise — to disguise what’s inside — when you’re wrapping a bottle of wine or spirits, isn’t it. But I’ve got news for you: we don’t mind!
As soon as I see that bottle shape — or the bottle-sized box shape — covered in wrapping paper under the tree, I know exactly what it is. It’s like I have a sixth sense. I just hope it’s for me.
Christina always worries that getting me a bottle of booze for Christmas is lame or predictable, but no matter how many times I tell her, she won’t believe me that I love it! The only thing I don’t like is that we usually open presents quite early on Christmas Day, so I have to wait for what feels like a lifetime before I can crack open my present. No one needs judgment on Christmas.
So if your significant other relishes a bottle of something tasty, here’s a list of liquid inspiration that I’d be happy to have this Christmas. I might even send this to Christina — I mean, that’s how Hint works, right?
Speaking of which, you can see the full edition of this year’s issue of Hint Magazine here:
You can also download your copy of Hint Magazine 2025 in PDF form here.
With an assortment of around 30 tasty beverages to tell you about, this is a pretty long list. So we’ve sorted things into three sections. You can either scroll through, or click on each heading below to jump to that section.
Sparkling Wines To Raise A Glass To
Winmark Estate Biosis Blanc de Blancs 2023 — RRP $65.00
Made solely from Chardonnay, this Blanc de Blancs sparkling from Winmark Estate in the western reaches of the Hunter Valley is sensational.
A superb example of the style, this Blanc de Blancs exhibits aromas of citrus and stone fruits, and fresh flavours of grapefruit, white peach and nectarine. Base notes of almonds and honey build towards a clean finish with a fine, persistent bubble bead.
Winmark only produces Chardonnay wines, so this latest release tracks perfectly.
Check out our story on the time we spent at Winmark’s tiny house!
Marnong Estate Reserve Blanc de Blancs 2022 — RRP 80.00
Harnessing the excellent Chardonnay grapes grown on the pastured vineyards of Marnong Estate, the winery’s Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine is a paragon of the style.
Blanc de Blancs is made with 100% Chardonnay grapes as opposed to the more commonly blended Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
This sparkling wine comes with intense ripe citrus and apple aromas and flavours, built on toast and brioche notes.
Marnong only produce their Blanc de Blancs on exceptional vintages.
Learn more about what’s so special about Blanc de Blancs here.
Pirie Sparkling Late Disgorged 2011 RRP $145.00
If you thought popping the cork on a regular bottle of sparkling was fun at Christmas, this vintage Tasmanian bubbly is going to knock the socks you got from Uncle Jerry right off.
Pirie is made in the beautiful cool-wine region of the Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania. Its sparkling wines are some of the most awarded in Australia and in fact this particular wine won Wine of Show and Best Sparkling Wine at the world’s most prestigious wine competition Global Fine Wine.
Late Disgorged is a special technique for premium sparkling wine where the lees are left in the bottle for longer than usual. This gives the wine a beautiful deep brioche and biscuit note that works so well against the acidity of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Sparkling wines from Best’s Wines Great Western, VIC
With a history that goes back to the founding of the region 160 years ago, Best’s Wines Great Western in Victoria produces some of the finest wines in Australia.
Best’s Wines Great Western C.M.T Methode Traditionelle 2020 sparkling wine RRP $50.00 is an instant classic. Made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, and sitting for four years on lees (disgorged in October 2024), this sparkling wine is packed with citrus and white peach notes, but with a defined biscuity baseline and soft texture.
The fine, persistent bubble bead adds to the zest of this wine making it the perfect accompaniment to Christmas Day festivities — or even the midnight bell on December 31.
Best’s Wines Great Western Sparkling Shiraz 2020 RRP $35.00
This is a perfect example of a wine style that’s not only synonymous with Great Western wines, but also specific of Australia. In fact, friends of ours living overseas find it almost impossible to find sparkling Shiraz.
Following the deep purple mousse from the first pour, this wine is rich with dark plum, spice and savoury aromatics, and a long satisfying finish.
Served cold or lightly chilled, it’s the ideal option over Christmas when you really fancy a red but the summer heat’s a bit too much.
Holm Oak’s Sparkling Wines from Tasmania’s Tamar Valley
Named after the ill-fated planting of holm oak trees for tennis racquets by the Alexander Patent Racquet Company in the 1930s (the timber was not fit for use), this Tasmanian winery is run by Bec Duffy and her husband Tim.
Taking care of the land and the fruit, Tim is the winery’s viticulturist, while Bec puts her 20+ years of winemaking experience into every bottle from this single-estate winery.
NV Sparkling RRP $45.00
Made with equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this sparkling wine has the best of both of these grape varieties. Shining with a beautiful fine, persistent bead, it’s a bubbly that’s made for celebration.
Red apple and a bite of citrus give way to buttery toffee and honey on toast thanks to the 24 months of lees.
NV Sparkling Rosé RRP $45.00
Made entirely of Pinot Noir grapes, this blushing beauty has a wonderfully delicate sweetness that’s held up with a balanced natural acidity that Tasmanian wines all seem to boast.
With 20% of the wine aged in barrels prior to bottling, you’ll find a satisfying robustness to the body until it finishes crisp and dry beneath the tantalising bubbles.
Santa Margherita di Valdobbiadene Prosecco — RRP $22.99
From the town of Valdobbiadene in the DOP Prosecco region of Veneto in northeastern Italy, this Santa Margherita sparkling is a classic.
Sharp sweetness, ripe fruit and orange blossom sit comfortably with the lively bubbles of this sparkling wine. Easy to match with food or ideal on its own, it’s great to see Prosecco having some time in the sun.
Overshadowed by its much better-marketed cousin from Champaign, this sparkling wine offers just as much flavour and balance but at a much friendlier price.
Calabria Family Wines Belena personalised wines
Spanning over 80 years of wine-making and now in its fourth generation, Calabria Family Wines is one of Australia’s top 20 wine producers.
The family’s latest range, Belena, comes in beautiful faceted bottles and labels you can personalise — the perfect Christmas gift for the one you love.
Learn how the free custom label offer works here.
Calabria Family Wines Belena Prosecco RRP $20.00
Fresh, crisp, bright and bubbly, this Italian style sparkling wine has delicious notes green apple and citrus, and hints of passionfruit and lemongrass. This wine goes well with seafood and sunny afternoons.
Calabria Family Wines Belena Rosé RRP $20.00
Made with a blend of Shiraz and the noble Aglianico grapes, this Rosé has all the crisp berry notes of a classic pink wine with a long underlying savoury palate that keeps the sweetness down and the mood up.
Zero Hour 0% Prosecco — RRP $20.00
Flashing its bright smile of fresh, crisp citrus notes, pear and a touch of honey, and a luxurious fizz of bubbles, you’d be forgiven for not knowing this Aussie sparkling is a 0-alcohol drink.
That’s because Zero Hour Prosecco starts out as regular sparkling wine — from growing and harvesting the grapes to crushing and fermentation using traditional methods.
It then undergoes a delicate process of de-alcoholisation, which removes the ABV to less than 0.5%. What you’re left with is all of the good and none of the bad — the perfect gift for a healthier, more conscious Christmas.
French Bloom Le Blanc 0.0%ABV — RRP $49.00
The result of the Director of the Micheline Guide and an international fashion model joining forces, French Bloom is a sophisticated stylish alcohol-free drink for those who enjoy Champagne but not the alcohol.
French Sparkling le Blanc is made with French sparkling Gensac® spring water, dealcoholised Chardonnay wine and grape juice, organic lemon juice, and natural grape flavour.
The result is a delicious glass of bubbles with citrus notes, pear and white flowers.
Special Red, White and Rosé Wines
Cupitt’s Estate Signature Vermentino 2024 RRP $34.00
From the beautiful family-run winery on the NSW South Coast, Cupitt’s brand new Signature Wines range includes this exceptional Vermentino made from the first vintage of vines in Hilltops, NSW.
A delicious example of this Italian darling, this Vertmenito is medium-bodied and well-balanced. A crunchy spine of acidity runs through it with lots of lively green apple and citrus, and a minerally saltiness as a nod to its coastal home.
As they say at Cupitt’s: this is ‘the Margarita of Wine!’
If you want to read more about Cupitt’s, check out our stay at the winery’s private villas, as well as a wine-tasting and delicious dinner at their fabulous restaurant.
Top end Fiano from Australia’s southern state — Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards, Mclaren Vale
With a storied history now in its sixth generation, the Oliver family are branching out into new varieties. And with Corrina Wright — the great-great-great granddaughter of the founders William and Elizabeth Oliver — at the helm, these are exciting times for this family winery that has been making wine in the McLaren Vale since 1839.
Fiano is set to be Australia’s new favourite white varietal. Sitting somewhere between Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, this wine is approachable yet structured enough to keep the most ardent of wine buffs entertained.
Known as the Queen of Fiano, it’s no surprise that Corrina has released these two beauties that would make any Fiano fan — or any wine fan actually — very happy this Christmas.
Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards Fiano 2025 RRP $29.00
Starting off with a creamy, nuttiness, this Fiano elaborates into citrus and basil tones with a hint of tropical fruit. Perfect for spicy food or just on its own.
Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards Anfore Fiano 2024 RRP $56.00
After a research trip to Campagna — home of Fiano — Corrina discovered the ancient art of ageing this wine in amphorae, giant terracotta pots. Extended time on lees in these pots has created something very special.
A small-batch release (they only have three 300 litre amphorae), Anfore Fiano has a wonderful creamy texture with a fine acid line running through it. The flavours and aromas are rich, yet balanced, sweet yet sharp, baked dessert and fresh citrus. A masterpiece of Fiano.
Marnong Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024 — RRP $40.00
From the curiously overlooked wine region of Sunbury, just 35mins north of Melbourne VIC, Marnong Estate makes a wide range of deliciously elegant cool-climate wines from its vineyards with soils as rich as its history.
Marnong’s Single Vineyard Chardonnay is a medium bodied modern Australian Chardy. Complex gunflint, brine, oatmeal and spicy aromatics lead into a palate of crisp pear and apple fruit flavours with creamy texture.
Devil’s Corner Mt Baudin Chardonnay 2022 RRP $75.00
From Devil’s Corner’s premium Hazards range, this cool-climate Tasmanian Chardonnay takes its name from one of the peaks of the Hazards Mountains, which loom in the background of the Devil’s Corner vineyards.
Mt Baudin Chardonnay 2022 is an exceptional example of its kind, showing layers of stone fruit, fresh, crisp melon and bright citrus. Thanks to lees stirring while it was still in its French barriques, the wine has a rich cashew softness that rounds this wine off for a long, satisfying finish.
Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2025 — RRP $32.00
This Sauvignon Blanc comes with all the delightful flavours of the Marlborough region in NZ and the brilliant multi-generational knowledge of one of Australia’s oldest wine families, the Hill-Smiths of Yalumba fame.
A palate bursting with mouth-watering lime zest and juicy citrus flavours, and a strong textural finish follows this wine’s intense, lifted aromas of lemongrass, fresh blackcurrant buds and ripe grapefruit. The perfect gift for Sancerre fans of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal.
Santa Margherita Valdadige Pinot Grigio 2024 — RRP $24.99
The perfect wine for a hot Christmas, this Pinot Grigio from Val d’Adige in the far northeast of Italy is bright, dry and crisp. Just what you want when someone brings out the seafood and soft cheese.
And as far as Christmas gifts go, this one’s a no-brainer. It’s even got ‘Santa’ in the name!
STUDIO by Miraval Rosé 2024 RRP $28.99
There are plenty of celebrity-owned alcohol brands, but not many that do it well. In dedication to the famed film and music studio, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie started this winery on the French Riviera, making excellent Provencal rosé.
Perfect for the summer, this crisp, pale, bone-dry rosé goes well with everything: seafood to barbecue, lunch or dinner — and even more so when it’s wrapped and under the tree this Christmas.
Scarborough Wines’ Keepers of the Flame Range — RRP $100.00 each
Scarborough Wines in the Hunter Valley, NSW’s premier wine region and the oldest in Australia, is one of the country’s most respected winemaking families.
Now moving into its second generation, Scarborough Wines has developed the vineyard’s new ultra-premium range that maintains the old standards while also innovating and evolving.
Each bottle is numbered, marked with the harvest date and proclamation of its cellaring potential.
You can experience the Keepers of the Flame in a tasting experience like no other at the Scarborough Wines cellar door in Pokolbin. Check out this amazing experience here.
Keepers of the Flame Chardonnay 2023 — RRP $100.00
Aroma: White peaches and struck matches balanced with a touch of roasted almond.
Palate: Elegant acid with lemon drizzled over white peach, crushed roasted almonds and a long, lingering finish with lifted white rose petals and crunchy pink lady apples.
Cellaring: 2024-2034.
Keepers of the Flame Shiraz 2023 — RRP $100.00
Aroma: Slate, raspberry, strawberries and plum with a hint of spicy oak.
Palate: Fine and elegant tannins complimented by mineral acid and well-balanced by the oak and fruit and touch of vanillin oak.
Cellaring: 2025-2045.
Keepers of the Flame Shiraz Tempranillo 2023 — RRP $100.00
Aroma: Lifted fruit characters of fresh, bright red raspberries, summer pudding and blueberries.
Palate: Summer berries, fine tannins across the whole palate, strawberry jelly, berry jubes.
Cellaring: 2025-2045.
Keepers of the Flame Shiraz Viognier 2023 — RRP $100.00
Aroma: Honey and orange blossom intermingled with plums and spice.
Palate: Well-integrated tannins, honeysuckle, roses, tar and oak spice, and a viscous mouth feel.
Cellaring: 2025-2045.
Tamar Ridge Grand Assemblage Pinot Noir 2022 RRP $180.00
The Pinot Noir nuts of the Brown Family wine empire, Tamar Ridge proclaim themselves Pinot Noir makers first and winemakers second. Not a bad perspective to have knowing the finicky nature of this mercurial grape.
Tamar Ridge’s wines are superb, but their Grand Assemblage is the culmination of the winery’s obsession. The 2022 vintage was selected from only seven barrels of Pinot Noir out of over 300.
This rare wine gives all the things you want in a great PN; cherry and red berries, delicate spice and a light toastiness. Its incredible structure means this wine will be great now, but in the next 10-15 years it’ll be even better!
From Spritz To Spirits And Everything In Between
Scarborough Wine Co Wine Spritz in a can (200ml x4, x12, x24) RRP $32.00
From the heart of the Hunter Valley, the Scarborough family have been making superb vintages for two generations and now they’re turning their hand to RTDs. The Scarborough ‘Wine in a Can’ range is the perfect accompaniment to any picnic or Christmas party.
These 200ml cans come in two forms — White Spritz and Rosé Spritz.
The White Spritz is made with Scarborough Offshoot Vermentino. Firm minerality and lively lime flavours combine with bright fruit notes and a delicate fizz. All you have to do is pour into a glass.
The Rosé Spritz is a blend of Offshoot Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Semillon and Shiraz grapes, that creates a floral yet slightly spicy drink with the sharpness of pomegranate and raspberry to balance the palate perfectly.
And at 12% and 11.7% ABV respectively, these cans will definitely get the Christmas party started!
Savage Rabbit Vodka RRP $69.00
Anyone who says vodka doesn’t have any flavour isn’t drinking very good vodka. Testament to this is Savage Rabbit. This premium vodka from the Tatra Mountains deep in the heart of Slovakia is made with a mash of winter wheat and rye, and water from glacial alpine lakes.
Neat, you’ll find a light vanilla nose and gentle flavours of summer berries with a rich texture that coats the mouth that then dissolves on the tongue leaving a long grassy finish. But this vodka will work in any cocktail you throw it in — from martinis to Long Islands.
Otter Craft Distilling Mary Street Shiraz Gin — RRP $65.00
Hidden away in the backstreets of Lilyfield in Sydney’s inner West, OCD — Otter Craft Distilling — produces a range of delectable spirits, from single malt whisky to liqueurs to gin and vodka.
OCD’s Mary Street Shiraz Gin not only has a beautiful deep ruby colour from the wine, it gives this gin a richly spiced, red berry aroma and flavour, which slowly gives way to juniper notes from the gin.
Delicious simply over ice, with soda or lemonade, or combined into something more complex, this gin is surprisingly versatile.
You can also see this gin in action via the distillery’s connected speakeasy, Bar 26!
Cockburn’s Ruby Soho Port RRP $34.99
Founded in 1815 by Scottish brothers Robert and John Cockburn, this Portuguese port house has dedicated itself to tradition, but also innovation. Ruby Soho Port is a reflection of this.
Made with grapes from Cockburn’s Quinta dos Canais estate in the highly-regarded Douro Superior region of Portugal, this port is bottled young to capture the vibrance of the fruit.
Notes of bright blackberry and toffee, and hints of peppery spice make this port perfect for sipping solo or in a classic Port & Lemon — a mix of Ruby Soho, soda water, and a dash of lemon juice and sugar syrup — this Christmas.
Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch RRP $123.99
The perfect gift for any peated scotch drinker, Smokehead does exactly what it says on the tin. But packed as it is with all the notes you get from a heavily peated Islay whisky — spice, smoke, leather, iodine — this single malt also has a gentle side.
Beneath the powerful smokiness is a subtle, sweet dram that works in wonderful harmony with its counterpart. Yin to Yang, action to reaction, Cailleach to Bride.
4 Pines Brewing Co Japanese Style Lager RRP $57.50 for 18
What better way to say Happy Christmas to the one you love than with a case of beer? Easy: give them a case of this superbly crafted, clean, bright Japanese style lager from 4 Pines Brewery.
Japanese beer has always had a reputation as a light, easy-drinking and thoroughly refreshing brew, and the guys at 4 Pines have nailed it with this lager.
Made using malted Pilsner barley and flaked rice, and a subtle herbaceous hint of hops, this is a beer for the summer.
