A wine priced at just $5.90 has been declared one of the best value wines in Australia. Minchinbury Pinot Noir took out Best Value Lighter Red under $20 at the Decoded Wine Awards 2021.

For the second year in a row, Dan Murphy’s has held the awards, with hundreds of winemakers in Australia and New Zealand submitted wines for judging. 

Following a rigorous judging process during which 12 experts tasted over 1000 wines under full show judging conditions, 10 winners have been named and another 10 wines have been named best value. 

Regarding the Minchinbury Pinot Noir, the panel noted “no it’s not the greatest pinot on the planet but it does boast authentic light and breezy, fresh plummy fruit.”

Dan Murphy’s Head of Wine Andrew Shedden(above), who is also the chair of the judging panel, said: “We grouped the wines by style and price to make it easier for customers to explore what they enjoy within their budget. 

“In judging the wines, we have also stripped back confusing tasting notes like ‘muscular’ or ‘herbaceous’ and instead focused on why we love these wines and how to best enjoy them to help guide our customers. The Dan Murphy’s Decoded Wine Awards are for wine lovers, not experts,” he added. 

The judging panel was composed of wine experts and buyers, as well as Wine Merchants from Dan Murphy’s stores across the country. All entries were judged blind, which means that no information was provided to judges except the style of wine to minimise bias. 

“We tasted more than 1000 wines over the course of 4 days, and we received a really wide range of expressions and styles of wine from all corners of the country, from Margaret River to the Hunter Valley and everywhere in between. As an Australian and New Zealand awards program, we also tasted some stunning wines from across the ditch,” he said. 

For those who want to try the best of the bunch in the Decoded Wine Awards 2021, Dan Murphy’s is also offering mixed packs of the winners and best value picks. Decoded Wine Awards: The Winners Mixed 6 Pack is $136 while the Decoded Wine Awards: Value Picks Mixed 6 Pack is $113.50, You can also mix and match any six wines or more from the Decoded Wine Awards 2021 winners and finalists and receive a discount of 10 % off.

Drinks Digest was thrilled to see some of our favourites on the list, including De Bortoli La Boheme Act Two Pinot Noir Rosé and Jansz Tasmania Premium Cuvée. Here’s the full list:

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: $15.90

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: $14.90

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: $14.90

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: $17.80

For those wanting to try more premium offerings …

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: $27.90

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: $22.90

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:$39.90

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: $46.90

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: $45.90

The Decoded Awards 2021 Best Value Wines

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

Fuller White Under $20 category: Distant South Chardonnay ($16.90)

Lighter Red under $20 category: Minchinbury Pinot Noir ($5.90)

Fuller Red under $20 category: Mr Riggs Three Corner Jack Shiraz Cabernet Merlot ($15.90)

Rosé category: De Bortoli Rosé King Valley ($13.90)

Sparkling category: Jansz Tasmania Premium Cuvée ($24.90)

Lighter White Over $20 category: Pizzini Pinot Grigio  King Valley ($20.90)

Fuller White Over $20 category: Sidewood Chardonnay Adelaide Hills ($20.90)

Lighter Red Over $20 category: Coriole McLaren Vale Sangiovese ($23.90)

Fuller Red Over $20 category: Cat Amongst the Pigeons Fat Cat Shiraz ($19.90)

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