Dan Murphy’s has announced the results of its new Best in Glass Wine Awards 2025. 
Selected by the retailer’s own team of expert wine merchants, the awards crowned the Best, Best Value, and Best International wines across a variety of categories, spanning reds, whites, sparklings, rosés, and alternative styles.
Winners were announced last Wednesday night in front of key wine industry names, at an awards ceremony in Prahran, Melbourne.
According to Dan Murphy’s, the results prove great wine doesn’t have to come with a high price tag, with many winners priced under $15. The two most affordable winners were the Fifth Leg Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (Dan Murphy’s Non-Member Price $13.29) and Shingleback Red Knot Shiraz (Dan Murphy’s Non-Member Price $12.99), which both took home coveted Best Value titles.
To be considered for the Best in Glass Wine Awards, wines needed to be available nationally in Dan Murphy’s stores and under the $50 mark.
The judging process consisted of multiple stages. Dan Murphy’s wine merchants shortlisted finalists through initial tastings of the 700-plus eligible wines. These wines were re-tasted by more than 20 merchants across state-based panels, with scores tallied to determine the top-performing wines from Australia and beyond.
Departing from the traditional wine show model where hundreds of medals are awarded based on detailed scoring systems, the Best in Glass Wine Awards take a more streamlined approach, says Dan Murphy’s. Judges’ notes focus less on technical detail and more on helping everyday wine drinkers find the right bottle for the right occasion.
Top wine regions
The winners include a cross-section of Australia’s top wine regions, with South Australia leading the charge, thanks to a strong showing from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley. The state took home 13 wins in total, making up a 26.09% share of winners.
Victoria follows closely behind, bringing a strong cool climate showing from Yarra Valley (four winners) and King Valley (two winners). In total, Victoria took home eight awards, which made up just over 17% of the winners.
Western Australia also featured heavily on the list, thanks to four winners from Margaret River, which ties with Barossa Valley and Yarra Valley as the top-performing region. These three winning regions each accounted for four wines on the list (8.7% of entrants) each.
Tasmania dominated the sparkling category, with Janz, Devil’s Corner, and Clover Hill all crowned winners.
The top international regions to appear on the list include Côtes-du-Rhône, Champagne, and Marlborough. France led among international countries, with nine out of 12 Best International wins (75%).
In-store tastings
To celebrate the awards with its customers, Dan Murphy’s stores around the country will be hosting ticketed in-store tasting events on Saturday, 17 May.
The events will give customers the chance to sample a selection of the winning wines, guided by a knowledgeable wine merchant from the Dan Murphy’s team.
Tickets can be purchased for RRP $20 (redeemable), with two sessions to choose from, hosting up to 200 people. Each ticket includes a $20 Dan’s Gift Card for on-the-day sales.
Participating stores include:
- Dan Murphy’s Malvern East
- Dan Murphy’s Kawana
- Dan Murphy’s Marion
- Dan Murphy’s Bicton
- Dan Murphy’s Leichhardt
Those who can’t make the events can pop into select Dan Murphy’s stores from 1 May to sample the winning wines from the National Tasting Table every Friday and Saturday until 28 May and be in with a chance of winning a $500 Gift Card.