This is a Sponsored Blog Post, but all opinions are my own

Unless you know the right terms, how can you tell if you’ll like a wine? How can you buy a bottle with confidence? What does a crisp acidic backbone or an angular tannic structure even mean?

If this is a struggle for you, Dan Murphy’s has come up with a solution with its first ever Decoded Wine Awards. “We’re decoding wine by stripping it back to basics and giving you permission to simply enjoy it,” it says on the Dan Murphy’s website. Awards for wine lovers, not experts.

Here’s all you need to know about the Decoded Wine Awards.

Classifying the Wine

The first thing that Dan Murphy’s did was develop simple, easy-to-understand categories for all participating wines.

Lighter whites, fuller whites, rosé, sparkling, lighter reds, fuller reds and fortified wines were all judged.

This straightforward way of categorising wines makes understanding the different styles of wine easy, helping you figure out if you’re in the mood for a light white wine or a rich red.

That’s not all – wines tested were then sorted into two groups, under $20 and over $20, which ended in the discovery of some amazing value wines!

A well-integrated team of experienced judges, all of whom are part of Dan Murphy’s Commercial team, were tasked with tasting, reviewing and awarding the winners. The judging panel comprised:

Wine panels, whose role it is to make sure the wines Dan Murphy’s stock stay in peak condition: Peter Nixon, Gary Braidner and Tamara Grischy.

Wine buyers, who source wines from vineyards to stock in Dan Murphy’s stores: Andrew Shedden, Mark Samaha, Nick Rose and Ian Wolfe.

Wine merchants, who are Dan Murphy’s in-store sommeliers: Ben Moroney (Dan Murphy’s Hornsby, NSW), Kathy Gertau (Dan Murphy’s Norwood, SA), Nick Veanes (Dan Murphy’s Ascot Vale, VIC), Malisa Caroselli (Dan Murphy’s Carine, WA) and Chris Gollogny (Dan Murphy’s Hobart, TAS)

The next time you head into store or pop online for a bottle of wine, look for these badges:

 Winner – For the best wines of a category according to a unanimous vote.
Value pick – For best in its category for the price.
Finalist – Wines the judges loved but just missed out on the top spots.

Here are some examples. 
For a lighter white under $20, the Noble Fellows Baron Betsy Pinot Gris, from Marlborough, NZ won a Value Pick badge, and is described as “juicy, dry, great value.” It’s as simple as that.

The Devil’s Lair The Hidden Cave Chardonnay from Margaret River, got a Winner Badge for the fuller white under $20 category and comes with this approachable tasting note: “a superb Chardonnay. This is an impressive, affordable option for your next dinner party”.

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Shiraz 2017, also from Margaret River, won a Finalist Badge in the fuller red category and is described as: “Blackberries and mulberries, toasted spices for a special occasion.”

Isn’t this revolutionary? And everybody wins — wine experts already know their jargon, and there are plenty of high-brow publications to satisfy their needs. These types of descriptions and classifications will surely boost the confidence of wine lovers strolling the aisles looking for something to drink.
Without further ado, here are the winners for each category, and the judges’ take on friendly wine notes.

Under $20 Award Winners

1. Lighter Whites: Knappstein Hand Picked Riesling, Clare Valley SA
   A deliciously fresh, light and dry Riesling. The perfect wine to enjoy with your favourite Asian cuisine.
2. Fuller whites: Devil’s Lair The Hidden Cave Chardonnay, Margaret River WA
   A superb Chardonnay. This is an impressive, affordable option for your next dinner party
3.  Lighter reds: Z Wine Rustica Grenache, Barossa Valley SA
   This juicy, fresh and vibrant Grenache is perfect to drink now
4. Fuller reds: Langmeil Three Gardens Grenache Shiraz Mataro, Barossa Valley SA
   A savoury, medium-bodied Barossa blend with ripe red fruit, it’ll complete your Sunday roast.

Over $20 Award Winners

1. Lighter whites: Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Marlborough NZThis Craggy Range is as good as NZ Sauvignon Blanc gets.
2. Fuller whites: Xanadu Estate Chardonnay 2018, Margaret River WA
   This mouth-watering wine is crisp and a prime example of a lighter style of Chardonnay.
3. Lighter reds: Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard Henty Pinot Meunier 2018, Henty VIC Although commonly used as a component in sparkling, this wine proves that Pinot Meunier more than stands up on its own.
4. Fuller reds: Xanadu Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Margaret River WAA generous wine that showcases the best of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon.  A perfect addition to your next dinner party.

Other Category Winners

1. Rosé: Blue Pyrenees Bone Dry Rosé, Pyrenees VICThis salmon-pink Rosé has delicious flavours of strawberries and cream. Dry and crisp, it’s the perfect picnic drop.
2. Sparkling: Jansz Tasmania Vintage Cuvée 2014, Tasmania A world-class sparkling that is elegant and perfect for a celebration.
3.  Fortified: Morris Old Premium Rare Liqueur Topaque, Rutherglen VICHeady and concentrated, it’s a great wine with cheese or dessert.

I think this is a great approach to help wine lovers choose a wine. Wine is fun, and it’s easy to choose if you know what you’re getting. Which one would you choose?

Click here to see what the Dan Murphy’s Decoded Wine Awards are all about and to join the conversation, leave me a comment here