Five SA wines named best in Australia under $30

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Image: Petaluma

There are five South Australian wines that everyone’s into right now and yes, that’s no typo, they’re all under $30.

Dan Murphy’s wine merchants have been on the hunt again for the best value wine and this time Raphael Vigneau, Belinda Mackie and Mark Brown have spilt all the goss on the wines that are flying off their shelves right now around Australia.

The SA picks include Chapel Hill The Parson Sangiovese Rosé, Tim Adams Pinot Gris, Petaluma White Label Chardonnay, Pepperjack Shiraz and The Ethereal One Fleurieu Sangiovese.

Image via Chapel Hill

For McLaren Vale’s Chapel Hill, it was The Parson Sangiovese Rosé that caught attention. For just under $17 a pop this dry, textured rosé has cranberry and pomegranate aromas, with juicy raspberry, sour cherry and a spicy tannin finish.

“This wine has stone fruit flavours and is very peachy, and it’s crisp and dry. It goes with everything!” Raphael said. “In Provence, rosé is a big barbecue wine. It’s excellent with grilled sausages.” 

Image via Tim Adams Winery

Clare Valley also made the cut, with Tim Adams Pinot Gris named as one of Raphael’s top-value white wine picks. The wine is made for summer and a very polished drop coming in at just under $19, with a balance between sweetness and fruity acidity.

“This is probably one of our best-value wines,” Raphael said. “It’s a bit off-dry, but it has a really nice freshness to it and it caters to a lot of tastes. It also goes especially well with Chinese food.”

Image via Petaluma

From the Adelaide Hills, Petaluma White Label Chardonnay was singled out by Belinda, who said it had been the store’s top-selling white wine for the past month.

“It’s a classic, well-trusted and delicious wine that also represents great value,” Belinda said. She describes the drop as bright and fruit-forward with stone fruits and hints of creaminess, allowing the wine to be paired with many foods because of its versatility.

Image via Pepperjack Wines

For red drinkers, Barossa stalwart Pepperjack was also highlighted, with Raphael pointing to the value of its shiraz, particularly the 2017 Cellar Release.

“That wine costs only a little bit more than the regular release, and those years of age have rounded everything off,” Raphael said.

The 2017 release uses traditional winemaking techniques and a technical eye to allow Pepperjack to create this wine synonymous with the regions they are from. Rich red in colour with purple under tones, the smell of blackberries and plums can be noted along with pepper and spice. It’s a velvety and soft red that can be enjoyed upon purchase or improved with careful cellaring.

Rounding out the five, a little bit controversial if it’s an SA wine, is The Ethereal One Fleurieu Sangiovese. The drink is produced using fruit from South Australia’s Fleurieu region, but the maker Pinnacle Drinks, is based in New South Wales. Raphael named it as a standout option under $20 for anyone leaning into the growing popularity of Sangiovese.

The wine offers a graceful, almost otherworldly style that feels both elegant and deliciously approachable. This Fleurieu red bursts with aromas of strawberries and raspberries, layered with earthy notes of forest floor and anise.

“It’s under $20 and a fantastic option for pizza with friends,” Rahpael said.

Other wines mentioned in the national Dan Murphy’s roundup include Oakridge Over the Shoulder Chardonnay, William Downie Cathedral Pinot Noir, Xanadu Fusion Chardonnay and Cabernet, Isabel Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Vavasour, Woodlands, Castello Di Albola, Carpinetto and emerging local labels Cowpunk and Kaleidoscope.