CHOOSING wines for Christmas and New Year dinner parties is an enjoyable exercise. Whether it's a big light-hearted party or smaller one for family and close friends, the pleasure is in sharing the best with your guests.

CHAMPAGNE

At the top are the deluxe cuvees ranging from the ultra-deluxe Roederer Cristal 1999 or 2000 to the least expensive Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle. Salon 1996 or Krug Vintage 1996 would be my choice at this level. 1990 is now fully mature and magnificent - Krug, Dom, Cristal, Salon, Pol Roger's Winston Churchill, Veuve Clicquot's Grande Dame, Bollinger RD. Old champagnes are not easily found on the market and usually only available if acquired when young and stored in your own cellar. Most consumers do not realise how beautifully good champagnes age and how sublime they become.

Three factors contribute to such graceful ageing - great vintage, big bottle and cellaring conditions. The 1947 Krug Collection (bottle) was remarkable. Much fresher, hardly madereised, lovely delicacy. Superb.

For straight vintage standard cuvees the choice is wider, and any of the Grandes Marques would be fine. For a lovely surprise try the Moet & Chandon Rose 2000. Very fresh, it is delicious.

For non-vintage regular cuvees, any of the Grandes Marques non-vintage can be relied on. My choice would be Laurent Perrier's LP Brut NV. Light and fresh, good ripe fruit, very refreshing. Pol Roger's Brut NV (white foil) also never disappoints.

WHITE WINES

White burgundies, Chardonnays from Italy, the New World, Alsace Riesling and Pinot Gris, German Rieslings, Austrian Riesling and Gruner Veltliner, New World Chardonnays and Rieslings - a bewildering array. The choice depends on the food it accompanies. For European fish and seafood dishes, the popular choice remains white burgundy, but serious thought should be given to Alsace and Austrian Rieslings. For spicier seafood, my choice would be a good German Riesling Kabinett or Spaetlese.

In white burgundies, I stick to the top names - Leflaive, Lafon, Drouhin, Jadot, Ramonet, Bonneau du Martray, Sauzet, Coche Dury, Pierre Morey, Guy Roulot. Raveneau's Chablis is outstanding, the finest name in Chablis. Other great Chablis names include William Fevre, Dauvissat and those from the big producers - Drouhin and Jadot in particular. Tip: serve a mature (20-year old) Chablis Grand Cru or Premier Cru blind.

RED WINES

Another bewildering array. Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Italian, Spanish, Australian, Californian, Chilean, Argentinean, South African and even Chinese (Grace Vineyards).

Bordeaux

So well known that recommendations are hardly required. The top vintages, the 100-pointers, the top Chateaux are all knowledge in the public domain.

2002: All Classes, including the Firsts. Lafite is lovely, Latour probably just ready. A light vintage, some charming wines.

2001: Under-rated, now beginning to come into its own and prices going up. Better than 2002, in some cases better than 2000.

1999: A charming vintage, the top wines (except for Firsts) drinking well although still youngish.

1997: Charming wines. All the Firsts are lovely, also Pichon Lalande.

1994: All classifieds should be fully ready. Fruity wines, nice drink.

1993, 1992, 1991: On the whole, hardly seen. Stick to the top wines, there should be some nice bargains.

1990: Firsts not quite ready, but approachable if you cannot resist!

1989: All quite ready.

1988: Finally coming round. A classic vintage.

Burgundy

More difficult to find, more difficult to choose. Best advice: stick to the top growers and producers - DRC, de Vogue, Mugnier, Dujac, Roumier, Ponsot, Rousseau, Liger-Belair, Arnoux, Groffier, Anne Gros, Michel Gros, Lafon, Montille, Grivot, Dugat-Py, Claude Dugat, Meo-Camuzet, Confuron, Leroy, Roty, Marquis d'Angerville, Drouhin, Jadot and Faiveley.

2002: Great vintage, not ready except at the village level.

2001: Very good, lesser demand, more readily available, prices better. Grands Crus less likely to be ready.

2000: A light vintage. Top growers and producers only.

1999: A great vintage, mostly not quite ready. Village level should be approachable.

1998: Very good. Should be ready.

1997: Charming vintage, lovely to drink now.

1996: Excellent, not quite ready. For the long haul.

1995: Excellent, should be ready.

1990: Great vintage, not quite ready except at village level. Still youthful.

1988: Great vintage, now just about ready.

1985: Drinking beautifully now, perhaps the best for current drinking.

Italy

It is good to see that Italian and Spanish red wines are gaining popularity here. For these two countries, growers' and producers' names are even more important because individual wine names are very difficult to remember, let alone understand.

Chianti Classico: Modern Chianti Classico, Tuscany's flagship wine, is now a serious wine well worth a serious look due to the huge improvement in quality led by the high standards set by young growers such as Paolo di Marchi (Isole e Olena), Marco Pallanti (Castello di Ama), Francesco Mazzei (Fonterutoli) and Giovanni Manetti (Fontodi). Chianti Classico from these estates and others - San Felice, Brolio, Quercebella, Rampola - are not only excellent wines but also great value.

Super-Tuscans: Undoubtedly the best known Italians.

Bordeaux-blends: Tignanello, the first Super-Tuscan, Sassicaia the most widely known, Solaia, Ornellaia, Masseto (pure Merlot and the most expensive), Grattamarco.

100 per cent Sangiovese: Montevertine (the first), Cepparello and Flaccianello.

Some Tuscan names: Sassicaia, Marchese Antinori, Marchese Frescobaldi, Castello di Ama, Tenuta Fontodi, Tenuta Isole e Olena, Castello di Brolio, Castello di Fonterutoli, San Felice, Gaja, Quercebella, Argiano, Biondi-Santi, Casse Basse, Altesino, Costanti.

Vintages: 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997 (great), 1996 (great), 1995.

Piedmont names: Gaja, Pio Cesare, Scavino, Altare, Sandrone, Clerico, Bruno Giacosa, Ceretto, Guido Fantino, Mascarello, Chiara Boschis.

Vintages: 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998 (great) 1997 (great), 1996.

Spain

Bodegas Vega Sicilia, Alion, Pingus, Alvaro Palacios, Mauro, Muga, Clos Martinez, Clos Mogador, Cims de Porrera, Torres, Eben Sadie Family, Val Llach.

Vintages: 1994 (great), 1995 (great), 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005.

This is too brief a review to do justice to the hundreds of wines that deserve to be included. There are many other wonderful wines which have had to be left out due to space constraints for which I apologise.