Best Value
The Shy Pig Brut Cuvee NV
South Eastern Australia
$9.42per bottle
$113.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Food & wine pairing
Best wine for Melbourne Cup
Bubbles first, then something easy for the long afternoon.
Sparkling & Champagne
It’s the race that stops the nation: bubbles are compulsory.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Stonegate Cuvée Brut NV
McLaren Vale, SA
$10.67per bottle
$128.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Tumblong Hills Table of Plenty Prosecco 2025
Gundagai, NSW
$11.25per bottle
$135.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Deakin Estate Azahara Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV
Riverina, WA
$13.67per bottle
$164.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Prosecco
Light, fruity and easy on the budget for a crowd.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Pete's Pure Prosecco 2024
Murray Darling, NSW
$13.67per bottle
$164.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Tempus Two Varietal Prosecco NV
South Eastern Australia
$14.67per bottle
$176.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
La La Land Prosecco NV
Riverina, NSW
$18.33per bottle
$110.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Motley Cru Prosecco NV
King Valley, VIC
$18.33per bottle
$220.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Rosé
Pale and dry for long afternoons.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Winesmiths Premium Dry Rosé 2000ml
SA
$7.94per 750ml equivalent
$127.00 for 6 × 2L
Cellars
Best Value
Rhythm and Rhyme Rosé NV
Riverland, SA
$11.00per bottle
$132.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Smith's Lane Estate Rose 2024
North East Victoria
$12.00per bottle
$72.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Bonny Doon "Vin Gris de Cigare" Rosé 2021
California, USA
$12.50per bottle
$150.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Sauvignon Blanc
Crisp and refreshing with finger food.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Winesmiths Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2000ml
SA
$7.94per 750ml equivalent
$127.00 for 6 × 2L
Cellars
Best Value
The Anchorage Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2026
Clare Valley, SA
$10.67per bottle
$128.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Angove Long Row Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Riverland, SA
$11.17per bottle
$134.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Di Giorgio Frank White Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Chardonnay 2025
Coonawarra, SA
$14.50per bottle
$174.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Tip
Buying for an office sweep? A 6-pack of Prosecco goes further than Champagne.
Best avoided
Heavy reds in the spring sun.
About Melbourne Cup and wine
Today’s picks run from $7.94 to $18.33 a bottle, chosen for value from 123 matching wines across the Australian retailers we compare. Six-packs and dozens are shown as a price per bottle.
Questions
What wine goes best with Melbourne Cup?
Sparkling & Champagne, Prosecco and Rosé are the best matches for Melbourne Cup. It’s the race that stops the nation: bubbles are compulsory.
What’s a good cheap wine with Melbourne Cup?
Winesmiths Premium Dry Rosé 2000ml is the cheapest of today’s picks at $7.94 a bottle from Cellars. Prices are checked every 4 hours.
What wine should I avoid with Melbourne Cup?
Heavy reds in the spring sun.