Best Value
Winesmiths Premium Chardonnay 2000ml
SA
$7.94per 750ml equivalent
$127.00 for 6 × 2L
Cellars
Food & wine pairing
Best wine with Moreton Bay bugs
Sweet, buttery bugs suit rich whites and bubbles.
Chardonnay
Grilled bugs in garlic butter are a perfect match for modern Aussie Chardonnay.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Rhythm and Rhyme Chardonnay NV
Riverland, SA
$11.00per bottle
$132.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Angove Long Row Chardonnay 2024
Riverland, SA
$11.17per bottle
$134.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Smith's Lane Estate Chardonnay 2023
North East Victoria
$12.00per bottle
$72.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Sparkling & Champagne
Bubbles and sweet shellfish: a summer lunch in a glass.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
The Shy Pig Brut Cuvee NV
South Eastern Australia
$9.42per bottle
$113.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
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
Semillon
Lean, citrusy Semillon lets the sweet meat shine.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Viognier & Marsanne
Rich and textural with stone-fruit notes. Lovely with bugs on the barbie.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Tip
The more butter, the richer the white you can choose.
Best avoided
Red wine and tannin make shellfish taste metallic.
About Moreton Bay bugs and wine
Today’s picks run from $7.94 to $19.42 a bottle, chosen for value from 90 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 Moreton Bay bugs?
Chardonnay, Sparkling & Champagne and Semillon are the best matches for Moreton Bay bugs. Grilled bugs in garlic butter are a perfect match for modern Aussie Chardonnay.
What’s a good cheap wine with Moreton Bay bugs?
Winesmiths Premium Chardonnay 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 Moreton Bay bugs?
Red wine and tannin make shellfish taste metallic.