Taking wine to a dinner party? Don’t stress – it doesn’t have to be fancy or particularly expensive. A thoughtful bottle that sparks conversation or introduces your friends to something new can make you the most memorable guest at the table.

“The days of trying to impress people with a pricey French label are fading,” says Mark Bourne, president of the NSW Wine Industry Association. “These days, the best wine is often a hidden gem from close to home.”

Whether it’s a casual night with mates, a barbecue, or a fancy multi-course dinner, the best bottle to bring is one you’re excited to share. These tips will help match the right wine to the occasion, whether your budget is $20 or $200.

For stand-up snacks and mingling

Bubbles beget fun, so go Aussie sparkling all the way. It’s festive, fresh, and goes with just about everything.

• Save: Mount Majura 2022 The Silurian Sparkling ($38) is lively and reasonably wallet-friendly, and if you’re lucky, you’ll find it at the bottle-o.

• Splurge: Mount Majura Late Disgorged Pinot Noir/Chardonnay ($78, Canberra District) is a serious crowd-pleaser. It stands proud next to Bollinger any day. mountmajura.com.au
• To pair with oysters: OK, this crisp, zesty Ravensworth 2023 Picqpoul ($35, Canberra District) is a still wine, but it’s a dream with sea treasures. The name of this southern France grape variety (also known as picpoul, piquepoul and picapoll) means “stings the lips”, which gives you a clue to its refreshing acidity.

Casual curry night

Go for high-acid, low-alcohol, unoaked wines that don’t take life too seriously. Curries vary in intensity, but as a rule, if you head straight to the off-dry riesling aisle, you won’t go wrong.

Anything fresh and zesty (hello gruner veltliner) will hold its own with mild spice, and whites with high acid, such as albarino and fiano, will balance the heat in fish, chicken or vegetable curry dishes. Meanwhile, ultra-aromatic gewurztraminer has enough punch to handle a fiery olfactory assault.

• Save: Mr Riggs Ein Riese Riesling out of the Adelaide Hills is made in the sweet German style and can often be found at Dan Murphy’s for about $20 a bottle.
• Crowd-pleaser: Little Wine Co 2023 Lyre Lyre is a fun field blend (in other words, a proverbial fruit salad). This bouncy blend of verdelho, pecorino, albarino and vermentino out of the Hunter Valley has just enough sweetness and acidity to play ball with most spicy dishes. A steal at $25. thelittlewinecompany.com.au.
• Pedigree: 2024 Rieslingfreak No.5 Off Dry Riesling out of South Australia’s Clare Valley ticks all the right boxes at $28. rieslingfreak.com.

Games night with charcuterie, pasta or pizza

Fun, juicy, and great chilled for 20 minutes before serving, light reds are your best friend here. Gamay is the go-to grape in this category. Think of the light-to-medium-bodied Beaujolais beauty as pinot noir’s playful cousin. There’s some great value to be found across Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland, Tassie and the Adelaide Hills.

• Save: The Nimble Vintner’s 2024 Gamay Noir ($17.50 via nimble.wine), and the gold-winning Golding Adelaide Hills Gamay, which can be found at BWS for $27, both offer great bang for your buck.
• Crowd-pleaser: Brown Brothers Limited Release 2023 Gamay ($30) – reliable and easy-drinking. brownfamilywines.com.au
• Splurge: Timo Mayer 2024 Gamay ($55) from the Yarra Valley is silky and super popular. Find it at wine merchants (like Melbourne’s City Wine Shop or Bellevue Hill Bottle Shop, NSW) or get it delivered via Different Drop, differentdrop.com

Barbecue in the backyard

Rosé is a winner here. Refreshing, easy-going and food-friendly, Aussie rosé comes in many styles, so there’s something for everyone.

• Grab and go: Yarra Valley’s Dominique Portet’s Fontaine Rosé ($28.29) recently won Best Rosé in Dan Murphy’s “Best in Glass” Wine Awards. “This has to be one of, if not the, best rosé wines in the country,” said judge Josh Mellsop. “France, eat your heart out.”

• Splurge: Joshua Cooper 2024 Rosé ($42) is a new-release wine by seriously talented winemaker Joshua Cooper. The beguiling, textural wonder is a mix of merlot, shiraz, pinot noir, malbec and cabernet sauvignon from Victoria’s Macedon Ranges. Get it while you can online or at wine merchants such as Winona Wine (NSW) or Prince Wine Store (Vic).

Fancy, multi-course dinner

Bring something with a story – especially if it’s from a small, local, family-owned producer. Nothing beats arriving at a shindig, plonking a wine on the table and telling the tale behind it.

• Save: Chalmers Wine Mother Block Skin Contact White, from Victoria’s Murray Darling, is a mouth-watering mashup of vermentino, ansonica, falanghina, pecorino, moscato giallo and nosiola. At $23, it’s astounding value. chalmers.com.au
• Heart-warming: Wow the table with the stunning Swinging Bridge 2023 Mrs Payten Chardonnay ($35, swingingbridge.com.au) from Orange, NSW. It’s named after winemaker Tom Ward’s grandmother. Delicious, thoughtful, and mind-boggling value.

• Seek out and splurge: Avani, run by biodynamic champions Shashi and Devendra Singh (Mornington Peninsula, Vic),Castagna (Beechworth), Sailor Seeks Horse (Tasmania), and Bindi Wines by thoughtful Macedon Ranges farmer Michael Dhillon, are just a few of the many thrilling producers doing the right thing by the land. Find them online and at independent wine merchants.

Dinner with wine snobs

If you’re looking to impress aficionados, lean into chardonnay from one of Australia’s premium producers, which can hold their own against Grand Cru Burgundies. In the red corner, we also produce world-beating shiraz, pinot noir, grenache and cabernet sauvignon.

• White to wow: Cobaw Ridge 2023 Chardonnay (around $100) or anything from Beechworth’s Giaconda or Granjoux. But they’re all difficult to find, so be prepared to do some legwork.
• Beaut red energy: The new 2021 single-vineyard releases from South Australian treasure Henschke include Hill of Grace ($1000, henschke.com.au), which are among the world’s biodynamic greats (think highly collectable). They are best purchased direct or at high-end wine merchants. In a hurry? You can pick up the Henschke 2021 Mount Edelstone Shiraz from Dan’s on your way to the party ($275).
• Turn heads: Kudos to you if you can get your hands on the sought-after Syrahmi 2019 Home Block High Density Shiraz (about $175) from former chef Adam Foster, based in Heathcote, Victoria. His Garden of Earthly Delights 2021 Pinot Noir ($65 at Prince Wine Store, princewinestore.com.au) is another charmer. Foster ships fast, so jump online and “add to cart”.