Today I had an excellent fun lunch with some business colleagues from Oxford at the Crazy Bear at Stadhampton (please give it a go - and go for the Thai menu - one of our table had just got back from Thailand and pronounced the food better than he ate out there - and he was at a Thai wedding, so not just eating 'western' Thai food). Anyway, that in itself should have been more than enough fun for one day.

But, being the glutton for punishment that I am, I decided to complete the overindulgence by tasting two sparkling wines that feature on our list (there was method in my madness/overindulgence as I have to choose a sparkling wine as the aperitif for a corporate function I'm running tomorrow evening - I had an idea which, but wanted to confirm my choice).

Both were delicious in their own way. One stormed ahead in the value stakes. Check out the tasting results below

Chamonix Brut 2000: Citrus notes, fresh, crisp - a very refreshing sparkler from South Africa. Great value for celebrations this Christmas.

Allan Scott Methode Traditionelle NV: An altogether different beast to the Chamonix. Yeasty, fresh-baked-bread aroma lead to a deliciously toasty, nutty taste, with a lovely burst of fresh acidity to keep it all lively. Finish is classy - and very Champagne-like.

Either would make a great addition to the Christmas table, but in very different ways. Two to choose from... and more suggestions for Christmas to come from Surf4Wine.