Meet the 17 wines that took out this year’s Best in Glass Awards.
Love white wine? Can’t go past a shiny medal on a bottle? Here’s a fresh batch of winners to seek out – just announced in the annual Dan Murphy’s Best in Glass Wine Awards. Each wine was put through its paces by a panel of expert judges – starting with a pool of more than 700 – and this year’s winners are pretty incredible, even if we do say so ourselves. They also come in at less than $50, with many much less than that, too.
The judges’ goal? To find the most compelling and approachable wines. Nothing too technical – just plain deliciousness. So, whether you’re after a specific variety, something other than your usual go-to, or a top international white you may not have considered – or maybe you just don’t know where to start – these winners are for you.
Take your pick from the best local white wines below – they come from Australia as well as New Zealand – plus the top international whites. And don’t think we’ve gone and forgotten rosé – they’re included below, too.
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1. Best sparkling wine
- Wine: Chandon Vintage Brut
- Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria
- What to expect: If you know and love Chandon’s Non-Vintage, this is a step up. It has the winery’s hallmark freshness and vibrancy, but a whole lot more complexity, with toasty and biscuity characters in the elegant mix.
- Pair it with: Everything – don’t wait for a special occasion. We love it with fish and chips.
$50.99 each
2. Best prosecco
- Wine: Brown Brothers King Valley Prosecco Brut Reserve
- Region: King Valley, Victoria
- What to expect: Great prosecco is fresh, bright and dry, and this one absolutely meets the brief. Apple and citrus notes lift this crowd-pleaser, and fine bubbles complete it.
- Pair it with: Good friends and a huge grazing plate are the best matches for this wine.
$21.99 Each
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3. Best riesling
- Wine: Rieslingfreak No. 34 Riesling
- Region: Clare and Eden Valleys, South Australia
- What to expect: This is a back-to-back win in these awards, which further confirms Rieslingfreak’s consistent quality. A blend of flagship riesling regions, this wine is floral and rich with excellent acidity, capturing the best of both.
- Pair it with: Keep it simple and go for fresh oysters with a squeeze of lemon.
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$22 eachNon-Member: $24.99 each
4. Best sauvignon blanc
- Wine: Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc
- Region: Marlborough, NZ
- What to expect: Greywacke, with its cult following, proves that sauv can have complexity. Loaded with vibrant floral and fruity aromas, this is a rich and luscious wine that finishes with a fresh, sherbety zing.
- Pair it with: This wine will sing with a herby, crunchy salad topped with goat’s cheese.
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$28 eachNon-Member: $33.99 each
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5. Best pinot gris
- Wine: Sidewood Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris
- Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
- What to expect: Pear flavours are on show here, along with citrus, grapefruit, honey and orange blossom notes. It’s a pretty, aromatic wine with a little more going on than you might expect.
- Pair it with: Take this to your favourite Thai restaurant and be sure to order the larb.
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$22 eachNon-Member: $25.99 each
6. Best chardonnay
- Wine: Isabel Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay
- Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
- What to expect: Wondering how a Kiwi chardy stole the crown? Try this and see why. It has stone fruit and citrus flavours, a touch of oak, flint and spice, but it’s the layers and texture that take it to the next level.
- Pair it with: We’re cooking carbonara for this wine. And we know it’s not traditional, but we’re throwing garlic and herbs in there, too.
$29.99 Each
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7. Best white blend
- Wine: Leeuwin Estate Classic Dry White
- Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
- What to expect: One of the region’s most famous wine styles, Leeuwin Estate has nailed this combo. Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and semillon create a tropical, fresh and slightly spiced wine with citrus flavours and bright acidity.
- Pair it with: All sorts of Asian flavours suit here – ramen is an excellent idea.
$18.99 each
8. Best other white
- Wine: Pizzini Arneis
- Region: King Valley, Victoria
- What to expect: If fresh, rich and savoury are the sort of wine descriptions that get your attention, you’ll want to try this crisp, dry and elegant example that is full of pear and apple flavours.
- Pair it with: Follow the Pizzini family’s lead and serve up figs with blue cheese wrapped in prosciutto. Delish.
$25.99 each
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9. Best rosé
- Wine: Dominique Portet Fontaine Rosé
- Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria
- What to expect: If you’re into pale, dry rosés, this is it. Flavours? Think bright berry and citrus, but there’s also a little savoury goodness going on in here, too.
- Pair it with: Just about anything, but take the winery’s hot tip and go with prosciutto and rockmelon.
$27.99 each
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1. Best international sparkling
- Wine: Sieur D’Arques Grande Cuvee
- Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- What to expect: The $50 cut-off for these awards meant Champagne didn’t really feature, but who needs it when other French bubbles are this good? Expect citrus notes, surprising complexity and a dry, refreshing finish.
- Pair it with: Pull this out to go with a spread of sushi and sashimi.
$23.99 each
2. Best international riesling
- Wine: Dopff Riesling Grand Cru Schoenenbourg
- Region: Alsace, France
- What to expect: Dopff has been making wine for more than 450 years, so they know how to nail a riesling. Think citrus flavours with rich, toasty, honeyed notes and great acidity, which helps the flavours hang around after each sip.
- Pair it with: Do as they do in Alsace and serve this with roast pork, baked potatoes and sauerkraut.
$49.99 each
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3. Best international sauvignon blanc
- Wine: Patient Cottat Sancerre Anciennes Vignes
- Region: Loire Valley, France
- What to expect: One of the most enticing characters of Sancerre is a subtle smoky character that brings a savoury depth to all those fruity notes, and you’ll find this here. It’s fresh, smooth, elegant and balanced.
- What to pair it with: Try this with asparagus, pea and dill risotto (and finish it with a blob of creamy goat’s cheese).
$49.99 each
4. Best international pinot grigio
- Wine: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
- Region: Valdadige, Italy
- What to expect: Pinot grigio is one of the best food wines, with this northern Italian winner a top example. This is super versatile, crisp and dry with lingering apple flavours.
- Pair it with: This is a wine you can stick with all night – from snacks to entree and on to mains – and it won’t skip a beat, regardless of the meal.
$25.99 each
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5. Best international chardonnay
- Wine: Louis Latour Macon-Villages Chameroy
- Region: Burgundy, France
- What to expect: This French chardonnay is an accessible, excellent expression of what Burgundy does best. It’s on the leaner, brighter side of chardy, with clean acidity bringing drive and freshness.
- Pair it with: A crispy chicken schnitzel would go down a treat with this wine – chips essential.
$36.99 each
6. Best international white blend
- Wine: Maison Les Alexandrins Cotes du Rhone Blanc
- Region: Rhône Valley, France
- What to expect: The Rhône is famous for shiraz and grenache, but its whites also deserve the spotlight. Start with this aromatic, layered, ripe and spiced blend of grenache blanc, viognier and marsanne.
- Pair it with: A roast chicken never tasted so good – give it a rich stuffing and serve it with this wine.
$24.99 each
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7. Best international other white
- Wine: Torroxal Albariño
- Region: Northwest Spain
- What to expect: This is one of Spain’s trademark whites, so it makes sense it’s also a cracking food wine. Bright and zesty, but with rounded flavours in the mix, this is a prime intro to albariño.
- Pair it with: Everything from salty fried snacks and starters like croquettes will work just as well as full-flavoured pastas and even curries.
$31.99 each
8. Best international rosé
- Wine: Mirabeau X Provence Rosé
Region: Provence, France - What to expect: Super pale, this fresh rosé is full of red summer fruits and citrus, but it has some surprising depth, too.
- Pair it with: This wine is ideal pre-dinner, but it will also go brilliantly with the meal, especially seafood and grilled meats.
$26.99 each
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Want to taste the winners? Showcase events are landing in key stores across Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart on May 30. Find all details here.
Want more Best in Glass Wine Awards winners? Discover the best reds, best value wines and the judges’ top picks.
