Gallo Family Vineyards Laguna Vineyard Chardonnay 2005 ($30)

This is a fantastic gift to give to someone who appreciates the elegant and creamy styled chardonnays from Sonoma County in California. The nose shows extreme peach, creamy pear and buttered toast. It's so fine in the mouth with oak playfully mingling with peach and pear fruit.

Penfolds Bin 138 Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre 2006 ($35)

An aromatic nose of crushed small berries, violets and loam ... a big, beautiful wine from the get-go. It shows muscle on the palate with weighty dark fruit including currants, licorice, oak and blueberry to go with silky tannins. A wonderful thing from one of Australia's most important wineries.

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet
Shiraz 2005 ($38)

Often called "the poor man's Grange" after Australia's number one iconic wine made by Penfolds, this vintage of Bin 389 is a blockbuster. You can immerse yourself in the aromas for hours — thick, rich, dark fruits with mocha spice, leather, roasted meats and underlying cedar-mint. It's a heady, powerful wine and a beautiful thing in the mouth. From ripe blackberry, cherry, plum and currants to spicy, integrated oak, it leaves a lasting and memorable impression.

Wolf Blass Yellow Label
Sparkling Brut ($18)

Nothing like a little bubbly under the tree. This is a non-vintage Aussie Champagne-style wine made from chardonnay and pinot noir. Lemon zest, cream and even some soft red fruits on the nose. It's a vibrant wine on the palate with lively bubbles and citrus fruit all leading to a clean, refreshing finish.

Fresita ($14)

Another delicious, very affordable bubbly with a twist. Fresita is a unique offering that combines fresh-picked strawberries with bubbles from Chile. This little gem has gorgeous scents of strawberry puree and citrus that turns creamy and bursts with red-fruit flavour on the palate. A nice, natural treat.

Te Bheag Connoisseurs Blend Gaelic Whisky ($38 for 700 Ml)

What's Christmas without a little whisky, I mean good whisky, to get us into the holiday spirit, so to speak. Te Bheag is an award-winning whisky that combines malts aged 8-11 years from Islay, Island, Highland and Speyside in Scotland. It's from an independent whisky company called Praban founded in 1976. The name Te Bheag (pronounced chey vek) in Gaelic means a "wee dram." It has a mellow nose with subtle notes of peat, dried fruits and vanilla-sherry from the casks in which it was matured. It shows more power in the mouth with creme brulee, peat, creamy vanilla and toffee flavours. A wonderful whisky at an amazing price.