Our festive edition is even more celebratory than usual this year, with James Halliday’s recent 80th birthday our excuse to go big.

James celebrated his milestone birthday in August, marking almost 50 years in the wine industry. During this time he’s pretty much done it all – launched two incredibly successful wineries with Coldstream Hills and Brokenwood, written more than 70 books on wine, become a Member of the Order of Australia, and so much more. We chatted to him about his passion for wine, his cellaring experiences and also what he believes are his greatest achievements. Read more from page 22.

Sticking to this ‘80’ theme, we’ve asked top wine people from around Australia to share a collective 80 wines for the party season. Take your pick from their ideas, which will see you gifting, entertaining and drinking in style into the new year and beyond. UK wine writer Jane Parkinson also weighs in on the topic, discussing the international styles that can make ideal presents, offering 12 excellent examples to seek out. And if you’re still stuck for ideas, check out our special gift guide on page 33.

We also chat with winemaker Emma Norbiato from Calabria Family Wines in NSW, and delve into riesling with a twist. And if you need some travel inspiration, take our tours of Clare Valley, New Zealand’s Central Otago and Sonoma in the US.

We hope you have a wonderful festive season and enjoy sharing some great new wine discoveries with family and friends.