This $7 Aussie red leads 'best value' buys at annual wine awards

Dan Murphy's has unveiled the winners of its coveted Decoded Wine Awards for 2021, with Aussie- and New Zealand-made 'value' picks starting from just $7.

Leading the affordable drops this year is the $7 Minchinbury Pinot Noir and the $14 Elephant in the Room Pinot Gris.

Happily, many of the winning wines — hand-picked by Dan Murphy's expert judging panel — come in at under $20.

See the full list of winners and value drops below.

The judging process saw 12 experts blind taste over 1000 wines, with just 10 winners named as the best in their category, and another 10 honoured for their exceptional value for money.

Dan Murphy's head of wine and judging panel chair Andrew Shedden said they've done the hard work so customers can easily find delicious and affordable wines for any occasion.

"We grouped the wines by style and price to make it easier for customers to explore what they enjoy within their budget," Mr Shedden said.

They also stripped back confusing tasting notes like 'muscular' or 'herbaceous', instead focusing on why they love the wines and how to best enjoy them.

"The Dan Murphy's Decoded Wine Awards are for wine lovers, not experts," he said.

Wine buffs keen to sample the best of the 2021 award-winners can pick up Decoded Wine Awards mixed packs in Dan Murphy's stores, featuring six-packs of the winners ($136) and six-packs of the value picks ($113.50). Shoppers can also mix and match any six wines from the winners and finalists to receive 10 per cent off their purchase.

The Decoded Awards 2021 winners

Category: Lighter White Under $20

Verdict: Sauvignon Blanc should jump out of the glass, and this one does exactly that.
Winner: Yealands Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand
Price: $13.99

Category: Fuller White Under $20

Verdict: Full of classic chardonnay flavours, this is a rockstar wine that consistently over-delivers on value.
Wine: Devil's Corner Chardonnay Tasmania
Price: $16.99

Category: Lighter Red under $20

Verdict: This soft and polished go-to red is like a reliable friend. And talk about bang for your buck.
Wine: Cat Amongst the Pigeons Barossa Grenache Shiraz Mataro
Price: $15.99

Category: Fuller Red Under $20

Verdict: This shiraz is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. It's really fresh and plump, with a long finish that lingers.
Wine: The Butcher's Friend Barossa Shiraz
Price: $15.70

Category: Rosé

Verdict: If you're looking for an Australian rosé around the $20 mark this is as good as it gets.
Wine: De Bortoli La Boheme Act Two Pinot Noir Rosé
Price: $19.99

Category: Sparkling

Verdict: Take a break from the big-name sparklings and grab this instead. The best wine you've ever tried.
Wine: Josef Chromy Pepik Tasmania Cuvée NV
Price: $29.99

Category: Lighter White Over $20

Verdict: A super versatile wine that's perfect for almost any occasion, from backyard BBQs to BYO dumplings.
Wine: Forest of the Echoes Riesling
Price: $24.99

Category: Fuller White Over $20

Verdict: A New Zealand chardonnay that drinks the way the All Blacks play rugby: confident, intense, and always going the distance.
Wine: Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay
Price: $41.99

Category: Lighter Red Over $20

Verdict: Serve this to your wine-loving friends who think they know everything. It'll surprise their taste buds.
Wine: Te Kairanga John Martin Pinot Noir
Price: $47.50

Category: Fuller Red Over $20

Verdict: Australians love a shiraz and this extremely likeable one showcases the classic Barossa style.
Wine: St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz
Price: $47.99

The Decoded Awards 2021 Best Value picks

Lighter White Under $20 category: Elephant in the Room Pinot Gris ($13.95)

Fuller White Under $20 category: Distant South Chardonnay ($17.99)

Lighter Red under $20 category: Minchinbury Pinot Noir ($6.99)

Fuller Red under $20 category: Mr Riggs Three Corner Jack Shiraz Cabernet Merlot ($16.99)

Rosé category: De Bortoli Rosé King Valley ($14.60)

Sparkling category: Jansz Tasmania Premium Cuvée ($24.95)

Lighter White Over $20 category: Pizzini Pinot Grigio King Valley ($20,99)

Fuller White Over $20 category: Sidewood Chardonnay Adelaide Hills ($21.99)

Lighter Red Over $20 category: Coriole McLaren Vale Sangiovese ($25.99)

Fuller Red Over $20 category: Cat Amongst the Pigeons Fat Cat Shiraz ($23.99)