If you’re after some over-achieving wines, check out these top-value picks.

Everyone has their own idea of what makes a wine good value – it’s one of the many reasons why wine is such a personal thing. However, if you can find a delicious drop that seamlessly takes you from weeknight sipper to weekend entertainer – all for less than $15 – you’ve clearly found a winner. These are the sorts of crowd-pleasing wines that also tend to taste even better because of their bang for buck.

It all makes a strong case for these wines to be kept on hand at home. They’re the perfect choice for sipping while prepping dinner, or cracking open when a friend pops over. They also just as easily keep a whole table of people happy over a homecooked meal, too. If you’re yet to find many wines around the $15 mark that suit these occasions, we’re here to help. Thanks to the Dan Murphy’s wine panel who taste the ranges (yep, that’s an actual real gig), we have five highly recommended wines at these prices.

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1. Minchinbury Reserve Chardonnay Pinot Noir

Who says bubbles are just for celebrating? While they do that job very well, this sparkling wine – from an Aussie icon that’s been making wine for more than 100 years – is also an ideal everyday pick. With crisp apple and stone fruit flavours, it’s fresh and lively, and will lift just about any dinner you whip up – cheesy toasties included. This is also a brilliant bottle to keep in the fridge for when visitors rock up unannounced, not least because its sleek packaging betrays its $12 price tag (or as little as $9 with a My Dan’s deal)

2. Cold Snap Cool Climate Pinot Noir

It’s hard to find a solid pinot noir that gives change from $15. It’s a tough grape to grow and an intensive wine to make, which all raises the price. Somehow, though, the clever people at Cold Snap have made this bright pinot that’s bursting with red fruit flavours for around $15 (sometimes even $12 if you’re with My Dan’s). Made from cool-climate Victorian fruit, this fresh style will work a treat at your favourite Chinese BYO with barbecued duck and mushroom dishes – classic matches enjoyed the easy way.

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3. Ciao Bella Superiore Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene Italy

There’s something easy-breezy about prosecco that makes it one of the great all-rounders. And when you can pick up an Italian example like this light and fresh wine for around $15, it makes it all the more enticing. The Ciao Bella is a brilliant aperitif style, full of peach and melon flavours, a creamy texture, and persistent bubbles; no surprise it’s a best seller. And when the Dan Murphy’s wine panel simply describes a wine as “really delicious”, as they have here, you can be sure you need to try it for yourself.

4. Yalumba Y Series Pinot Grigio

From South Australia’s iconic winery Yalumba, the Y Series Pinot Grigio is not just a lovely easy-drinking wine, it’s also an absolute bargain. Often getting down to less than $10, this pinot grigio is surprisingly complex for its price. Flavours of baked apple and feijoa mingle with fresh cream and poached pear, and there’s also a touch of cinnamon, oatmeal and orange panna cotta on the finish. If you need more convincing, pinot grigio is one of the great food wines, making it a very handy bottle to keep in easy reach.

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5. Zonin Ventiterre Moscato Italy

With just the right amount of sweetness and spritz, this moscato is right at home on the brunch table. For starters, it comes in at 7% ABV – around half the alcohol of your average wine – and it’s also a dream match for sweet treats. Pair it with cakes, biscuits and fruit platters for the ultimate brunch spread, or push it all later into the day for an afternoon catch-up with friends. From the Lombardia region of northern Italy, this wine’s sweetness is balanced with its refined fruit flavours and refreshing spritzy core, all for around $12.