Review – Aldi Wine – Crisp Whites & Fruity Reds Mixed Case

The Aldi Wine Crisp Whites & Fruity Reds 6 bottle mixed case is priced at £23.84 and really is astonishingly good, punching far above its price point.

Can a case of 6 bottles of wine costing less than £25 with an average bottle price of just under £4 be considered a bargain, or even drinkable, was the question we were all asking ourselves as we settled down for the task of tasting 6 different wines last night.  I’d had Aldi wines before, and had been very impressed, so was really looking forward to the experience.    Joining me tasting was Ed, our friend Annabel, and old school friend Sahar, who is studying for her WSET (Wine & Spirit Educational Trust) diploma, and the most informed about tasting techniques and modern wine making.

Aldi Castellore Sicilian Pinot Grigio

Aldi say “Clean and crisp with a ripe aroma of pears and apples, this wine is best served chilled on its own, or with white meat, salad and fish. “

The wine was light with a delicate bouquet, we could all detect the apple but only a hint of the pear. Imminently quaffable. Perfect easy drinking for summer parties, where it will vanish in a flash.  It is simple, clean and soft with moderate acidity. There is no really length to it, which means you can drink it with anything.  A Sicilian Pinot Grigio is fairly unusual, and those long hot summers make it softer than the same wines from the North East of Italy.  Our diploma student said for the price it is brilliant.

£3.69 a bottle.

Aldi Vignobles Roussellet Sauvignon Blanc

Aldi say “Bright and crisp with grassy aromas and typical Sauvignon notes of gooseberry, lime and grapefruit all held together with a mouth-watering lively acidity.”

This French Sauvignon Blanc is very cleverly made in the popular, and more expensive Kiwi style from blended wine, and it rocks.  Lovely notes of lime, grapefruit lengthening to gooseberry, then grassy notes and those tropical so typical of Kiwi wines. At 11.5% it is light bodied, but full flavoured, and would be perfect with seafood.

£4.40 a bottle

Aldi Kooliburra Australian Chardonnay

Aldi say “Peach and melon fruit characters are joined by ripe tropical fruit flavours. These combine to produce an exceptional Chardonnay with a beautifully soft texture.”

Thankfully the fashion for over-oaked Chardonnay is long gone and we can tuck in again.  A beautifully full bodied but refined and rounded Aussie Chardonnay. Packed with the classic flavours of stone fruit – peach, melon and tropical flavours like pineapple, and a hint of an almost bubblegum like flavour that did not detract at all.  Buttery, with some vanilla. A medium length, this bottle would go down perfectly with a roast chicken.

£3.99 a bottle

Aldi Toro Loco Tempranillo Superior

Aldi say “Fresh, juicy, and full of strawberries, redcurrants and black cherries. Hints of white pepper complement the fruit, and together with powerful silky tannins lead into a long finish.”

Packed with plums, damsons and red cherries both on the nose and on the palate, with hints of spice, smooth molten milk chocolate and the scent of waxy Bramley apple skins.  Medium bodied, not overly fruity, an easy drinking wine for food, we’d love it with a steak.   “Fabulous for the price”, said Sahar.

£3.49 a bottle

Aldi Vignobles Roussellet Pinot Noir

Aldi say “Soft, smooth and fruity. This French Pinot Noir has rich red fruit aromas and lush berry flavours.”

There is a party going on with this wine, with red fruit – strawberries, raspberries and black cherry, as well as vanilla, stewed fruit as well as some smoke and cedar.   Light to medium tannins, a wine to enjoy with or without food.  Our WSET diploma student who does not really go for Pinot Noir said she would be shooting down to Aldi tomorrow to buy some of this.

£4.39 a bottle

Aldi Andara Chilean Merlot

Aldi say “Soft, supple and fruit driven, this powerful Merlot promises intense aromas of plums, black cherries, chocolate and mint.”

Every time we open a bottle of Merlot we remember that scene in Sideways and vow to watch the film again.  Miles Raymond’s loss is certainly our gain with this bottle.  Oodles of flavour with red and blackcurrants, plums and black cherries for fruit, with almost savoury, umani notes of tomato, shiitake mushrooms and gently pepper and spice.    Intense and soft at the same time.  A gorgeous wine to end the evening.

£3.89 a bottle

All these wines have a fairly low alcohol content, ranging from 11.5 – 12.5%, which helps the ease of their drinking, so effectively you are consuming about 15 – 20% less alcohol, which meant no sore heads the next day.

When it came to refills of the reds there were 3 votes for the Pinot Noir and one for the Merlot, and with the whites 1 Pinot Grigio, 1 Sauvignon Blanc and one Chardonnay.  Astonishingly for wines at this price no one disliked any of the wines, and we were all very impressed and are all planning a trip to Aldi to stock up.

Currently you can buy this Aldi Wine Crisp Whites & Fruity Reds 6 bottle mixed case for £23.84 with free standard delivery, at tose prices there really is no excuse not to.

Review & photography commissioned by Aldi, who also supplied us with the wine.  All opinions our own.