Wine: Christmas fizz

In London's Oxford Street a couple of weeks back, I happened upon All Saints, who were about to switch on the lights, although it was so cold they looked more like Arctic Monkeys. The lights sparkled and the fizz flowed, all of which put me in mind of the cornucopia of excellent Christmas bubbly on the market.

When I was an avid supporter of cava, I used to make a pyramid of the lead capsules I collected from the Sainsbury's cava bottles - before I was told that it was time to get a life. And besides, hoarding lead (I think they use tin these days) was clearly doing nothing for the brain. Maybe I'm less enamoured of cava than I used to be, but that's not to say there aren't some great value ones on the market. One of this month's bargains is the 2001 Marqués de Monistrol Cava, £3.99, Co-op, reduced from £7.99 until New Year's Eve. This is a refreshingly light, crisp and lemony fizz, only really beaten for quality by the weightier, soft foaming cushion of the Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva, £6.99, Sainsbury's; £7.99, or £5.33, buy two get one free, Thresher.

I am more of a fan of New Zealand's tangy sparkling wines, simply because they have that extra natural acidity that makes Kiwi fizz so mouthwatering; and one of the best value from New Zealand is Montana's Lindauer Rosé, £8.99, or £5.99, buy two get one free, Thresher, Wine Rack. The multi-buy discount adds a fresh incentive to go out and buy this perky little salmon-pink wine with its attractively refreshing berry fruit flavours and clean, tangy mousse. Across the Tasman Strait, a surprise from the Barossa: light and sweet as a daisy, the 2006 Two Hands Brilliant Disguise Moscato, £7.99, 50cl, Oddbins, is a delicate, sparkling moscato d'asti-in-Oz number with a sherberty, palate-cleansing fruitiness.

High-street champagne deals abound at this time of the year, of course. While I'm not normally fan number one of Marks and Spencer's basic Oudinot Brut Champagne, it's now a much-improved light and foamy chardonnay-based example from the 2002 vintage, with a more full-flavoured toastiness - thanks to that extra year's ageing in the bottle. Oh, and it's down £5 to £12.99 for the Christmas period. The full-flavoured, appley freshness of Champagne Les Pionniers, £13.99, Co-op, and a biscuity Prince William Premier Cru Champagne, £14.99, Somerfield, are also good value buys. For the best supermarket-label quality, though, the two stars are Sainsbury's 2000 Taste the Difference Vintage Champagne, £22.99, a seriously complex, toasty-rich grower's vintage champagne with fine creamy mousse, and Waitrose's 1999 Vintage Champagne, £21.99, another bubbly of serious flavour and distinction.

Only a posh brand will do for some, and there are some good deals on these, too. The best I can find is Co-op's generous third off on Piper Heidsieck Brut (from £21.99 to £14.99), while the buy-two-get-three deal on Taittinger Prelude Champagne, £34.99, or buy two get one free at £24.99, Majestic, fulfils all style and elegance requirements. A leap to £50 might seem capricious, but don't overlook the fact that the 1996 Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru, £50/£45, Berry Bros & Rudd (0870 900 4300), is one of this year's great buys. From the seemingly everlasting 1996 vintage, this fine vintage champagne is intense and toasty on the nose, with magnificent sappy, savoury fruit given an extra boost by the foaming cushion of pinprick bubbles that adorn this wine with its full sourdough and crisp, long aftertaste.

By the way, look out for more great champagne and fizz buys in The 50 Best Wines in The Information on 16 December.