OKAY, so New Year has passed and it’s time for some respite and recuperation. Right? Wrong.

You probably had your fill of fizz suggestions in the run-up the festivetime so we’re going to do things a little different here – and say what we enjoyed over the past fortnight, in case you need a bit of sparkle back in your life in dark, depressing, mundane January.

The first was a cracking Cava from The Wine Society – a 2012 Cava Sumarroca El Gran Amigo Gran Reserva, 2012, priced £10.95

An exceptionally fine fizz for the price, this 12 per cent gran reserva is made from the traditional mix of Macabeu, Xarel·lo and Parellada grapes.

The palate is gentle, dry and lemony with a delightful nutty character from three years' ageing on lees before being disgorged.

It is made by Sumarroca, a small family estate in Penedès who control and own their own vineyards.

Going up in price, there was the Co-op’s Les Pionniers Champagne, at £16.99.

The vintage version (£25.99) recently won gold at the 2017 Champagne and Sparkling Wine Championships alongside the likes of Cristal, but the more economical non-vintage version we had was certainly value for money.

Refreshing and elegant, it comes from a blend of Chardonnay with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. It is a fine Champagne to drink on its own and therefore good for a party but it’s also good with fish and white meat for a cheery teatime.

Majestic, meanwhile, have an interesting fizz of the Champagne mould - a Chandon Brut from Argentina, priced £17.99 (or £12.99 in the Mix Six promotion).

This non-vintage sparkler hails from the foothills of the Andes and contains the classic Champagne varietals of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, blended using traditional methods. Indeed, Chandon Argentina was founded in 1959 by Moet and Chandon to produce a 12.5 per cent fizz that combined French winemaking skills with Argentinian passion (and grapes).

Lively, with fine bubbles and delicate citrus, pineapple and white peach aromas, this likewise is a bottle to be enjoyed with friends for any occasion (or just an evening to brighten up January) and also goes well with seafood.

Lastly, and more economically, came a San Leo Prosecco Brut from Waitrose. We got it for a bargain £7.99 when on discount, though it is normally priced £10.99.

Fresh, fruity and with a gentle mousse, this similarly is a lovely aperitif for any celebration, and at 11 per cent it is perhaps a little helpful for those January calorie cutbacks. Oh, and there is a recommendation to try it with some fresh peach juice, too, for a delicious Bellini cocktail.