A $10 Clare Valley Riesling has landed among the country’s best drops in Dan Murphy’s 2026 Best in Glass Wine Awards, giving South Australian wine lovers one very affordable reason to celebrate.
Dan Murphy’s has announced the winners of its second annual Best in Glass Wine Awards, with the national program designed to cut through the “wall of choice” customers often face when trying to pick a bottle. The awards are judged by Dan Murphy’s Wine Merchants, with winners selected from a blind-tasting of more than 1000 eligible wines across the retailer’s full wine range.
To be eligible, every wine had to be widely available in Dan Murphy’s stores and priced under $50, meaning the winners are intended to be accessible bottles that everyday wine drinkers can actually take home and enjoy.
South Australia had plenty to cheer about in this year’s list, with Tolley Clare Valley Riesling named Best Value Riesling at just $10. Sidewood Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris was named Best Pinot Gris/Grigio, while Pirramimma White Label McLaren Vale Petit Verdot took out Best Other Red Varietals. Other big local names also appeared across the winners list, including St Hugo, Greenock Creek and Langmeil.
Andrew Shedden, General Manager at Dan Murphy’s, said the awards were created to help customers make better choices without needing to be wine experts.
“Our customers often tell us that the hardest part of buying wine is the ‘wall of choice’ – walking in and not knowing where to start. These awards are about solving that problem,” Andrew said.
“This wasn’t necessarily about finding the perfect wine for a cellar; it was about finding the best wines for our customers to enjoy tonight. Whether it’s a $10 Riesling that punches well above its weight or a $47 Sparkling for a major milestone, we’ve done the hard work of tasting hundreds of bottles to ensure that if it has a ‘Best in Glass’ sticker on it, it’s a guaranteed win for your dinner table.”
The judging process saw Dan Murphy’s Wine Merchants shortlist finalists through initial tastings, before the wines were re-tasted by more than 55 merchants across state-based panels. Scores were then tallied to decide the top-performing bottles from Australia and overseas.
Each category names three winners across Best, Best Value and Best International, making it easier for shoppers to find a wine that suits both the occasion and the budget.
Other standout winners included Gemtree Dragons Blood Shiraz, which took out Best Value Shiraz at $13, Sieur D’arques Grande Cuvee, which was named Best International Sparkling at $22, and Chandon Vintage Brut, which claimed Best Aussie Sparkling at $47.90.
To celebrate the awards, Dan Murphy’s stores around the country will host ticketed in-store tasting events on Saturday, May 30, giving customers the chance to sample selected winning wines with guidance from the Dan Murphy’s team.
Full list of 2026 winners:
Please note, the below prices are the My Dan’s member price.
Best Sparkling
- Best Aussie: Chandon Vintage Brut ($47.90)
- Best International: Sieur D’arques Grande Cuvee ($22.00)
- Best Value: Yarra Burn Premium Cuvee N/V ($12.00)
- Best Prosecco: Brown Brothers Brut Premium Prosecco ($19.00)
Best
- Best Rose: Dominique Portet Rose ($25.00)
- Best Riesling: Rieslingfreak No. 34 Riesling ($22.00)
- Best Sauvignon Blanc: Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc ($29.00)
- Best Chardonnay: Isabel Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay ($25.00)
- Best White Blends: Leeuwin Estate Classic Dry White ($16.00)
- Best Pinot Gris/Grigio: Sidewood Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris ($21.00)
- Best Other White Varietals: Pizzini Arneis ($23.00)
Best Value
- Best Rose: De Bortoli La Boheme Pinot Rose ($17.00)
- Best Riesling: Tolley Clare Valley Riesling ($10.00)
- Best Sauvignon Blanc: Tangaroa Sauvignon Blanc ($10.00)
- Best Chardonnay: Xanadu Fusion Chardonnay ($17.00)
- Best White Blends: Evans & Tate Classic Semillon Sauv Blanc ($11.00)
- Best Pinot Gris/Grigio: Josef Chromy Distant South Tassie Pinot Gris ($16.00)
- Best Other White Varietals: Elephant In The Room Fiano ($12.00)
Best International
- Best Rose: Mirabeau X Provence Rose ($24.00)
- Best Riesling: Dopff Riesling Grand Cru Schoenenbourg ($45.00)
- Best Sauvignon Blanc: Patient Cottat Sancerre ($44.00)
- Best Chardonnay: Louis Latour Macon Villages ($32.00)
- Best White Blends: Maison Les Alexandrins CotesRhone Blanc ($21.00)
- Best Pinot Gris/Grigio: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio ($23.00)
- Best Other White Varietals: Torroxal Albarino ($28.00)
Best Red Wine
- Best Shiraz: Torbreck The Sporran Shiraz ($40.00)
- Best Pinot Noir: Stonier Pinot Noir ($40.00)
- Best Other Red Varietals: Pirramimma White Label McLaren Vale Petit Verdot ($24.00)
- Best Cabernet Sauvignon: Greenock Creek Four Cuttings Cabernet Sauvignon ($35.00)
- Best Grenache: Langmeil Rough Diamond Grenache ($20.00)
- Best Red Blend: St Hugo Cabernet Shiraz ($39.90)
Best Value Red Wine
- Best Shiraz: Gemtree Dragons Blood Shiraz ($13.00)
- Best Pinot Noir: Marlborough Sounds Pinot Noir ($16.00)
- Best Other Red Varietals: Bleasdale Malbec ($17.00)
- Best Cabernet Sauvignon: Wynns The Siding Cabernet Sauvignon ($13.90)
- Best Grenache: Cat Amongst The Pigeons GSM ($13.00)
- Best Red Blend: Majella The Musician Cabernet Shiraz ($16.00)
Best Red International
- Best Shiraz: Chateau Cres Ricards Oenothera ($31.00)
- Best Pinot Noir: Decoy by Duckhorn California Pinot Noir ($44.00)
- Best Other Red Varieties: Frescobaldi Nipozano Riserva ($32.00)
- Best Cabernet Sauvignon: Chapelle De Potensac Medoc ($38.00)
- Best Grenache: Paul Jaboulet Secret de Famille ($22.00)
- Best Red Blend: Coutada Velha Signature ($16.00)
