Supermarket Aldi showcased 98 sparkling and still wines in its 2024 UK spring/summer collection, 47 of them new.
With prices starting from £4.09 for the Spanish Chardonnay under the budget non-vintage Grapevine label to £14.99 for the Veuve Monsigny Champagne NV, the focus of this German supermarket chain, as always, is on affordable quality.
Scroll down for scores and tasting notes of the best Aldi wines to buy
As with all UK supermarket buyers, Josh Heley (still wines) and his new colleague Lucy Pemberton (sparkling, fortified and no-/low-alcohol wines), have the difficult task of delivering a versatile wine range amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.
New on shelves this spring is the Unearthed range, following in the footsteps of similar ‘off-the-beaten-track’ lines at other UK supermarkets such as Marks & Spencer’s Found and Expressions ranges, Waitrose’s Loved & Found and Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Discovery Collection. The Cigales Crianza and Bianco di Custoza, both from the 2023 vintage, are the picks.
Another debut worth snapping up is the Chassaux et Fils, Specially Selected Rosorange Rosé 2023 – a rosé-orange wine hybrid in a pretty bottle and tasting of quince, orange peel and cherry bitters.
Also new are some innovative packaging changes. Aldi has pledged to reduce bottle weights, and while the ‘flat’ recycled PET bottles used in two of the Australian Chapter & Verse wines are seven times lighter than regular glass ones, the wine quality is not as admirable as the eco-friendly exterior.
By contrast, of the two South African wines in new paper bottles, one is worth seeking out. The Cambalala, Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (blended with 15% Colombard) has a carbon footprint six times lower than a standard bottle and is and made from 94% recycled paper. And the wine offers decent drinking, both ethically and taste wise. However more customers might be encouraged to try it if it were price matched to the 2023 Cambalala Sauvignon Blanc bottled under glass (£5.99).
The best and the rest on the shelf
In addition to 20 new recommendations from Aldi’s 2024 spring/summer tasting, three previous Decanter wine picks are still available and remain great buys:
- Chassaux et Fils, Specially Selected Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé,
- Costellore, Specially Selected Extra Dry Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore NV
- Castellore, Specially Selected Toscana Rosso 2021
Wines still on shelves that Decanter has previously recommended but which are now looking tired include the Mimo Moutinho, Dão Red 2021.
While its continuing success against high street competitors proves Aldi knows its market, unnecessarily high residual sugar – perceived or actual – in a large number of new and core wines masks their varietal and/or regional typicity, particularly at lower price points and among the sparkling and no-/low-alcohol ranges.
In January 2023, Aldi made the controversial decision to stop all of its online operations. This means its current range is only available to purchase at one of its 990 UK stores, 200 of which offer a click-and-collect service.
Aldi wines: Decanter’s pick of the best buys
Of the following 23 wines, 20 are recommendations from the 2024 Spring/Summer tasting in March and the others are from older tastings but still available in store.
