Aldi Wine & Champagne: My Tasting Notes
If you’re a regular reader of the blog then you may remember late last year I was sent some Aldi wine samples to try. I was pretty honest in my opinions on the wines and I was even quoted in an article about Aldi’s wine on the Daily Mail.
Nearly a year later after giving up my day job to start my own business (aka a bit of a salary cut), Mr Spittoon and I have tried more Aldi wine. So I wanted to do a ‘take 2’ to share my recent tasting notes.
I still stand by the fact the Aldi Champagne is pretty darn good for the price tag. That includes both the $20 and $25 Aldi Champas. If you have a limited budget and crave French Champagne, then I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Aldi Champagne.
Wine aside, Mr Spittoon and I have also sunk a few bottles of the $30 Aldi gin. It’s no Tanqueray (my gin of choice typically). However for $30 when you’re in the midst of starting your own business, it goes alright.
Before we dig into the below tasting notes, please remember wine is subjective. While I may or may not like these wines, or find certain characteristics in them, it doesn’t mean your palate will be exactly the same. Let your own taste buds decide.
Tudor 2016 Chardonnay – Yarra Valley
‘Like sands through the hourglass, these are the wines of our lives’ said Mr Spittoon as he sipped on this cheap & cheerful Chardonnay we picked up from Aldi for about $12 It’s a yellow shade on the eye. The nose is rather tropical with hints of citrus and a touch of fresh herbs. It’s very easy drinking and fruit forward on the palate with a rather creamy texture. Not bad for the $$.
Champagne Veuve Monsigny Premier Cru Brut
If you’ve tried the $20 Champagne from Aldi, then this is it’s big sister, selling for $25. It’s made from Premier Cru grapes which basically means back when the Champagne classifications were put in place, certain vineyards were labelled Premier or Grand Cru for quality. Today it’s really up to your individual taste buds as to what you like.
It’s a pale sand colour on the eye with lovely little ‘come drink me’ bubbles. On the nose, it has notes of fresh pineapple & pears mixed with creamy vanilla custard. While in the mouth it has an ultra smooth mousse (mouthfeel) with refreshing lemon honey acidity, flavours of apples and a creamy persistent finish.
Great match with southern fried chicken and salad.
El Toro Macho Barrica 2013 Reserva Red Blend
This is another Aldi find. It was around $10 a bottle and not a bad match for a cheap and cheerful pasta dinner on the floor (PS: hurry up Kent Removals – I want our furniture and stuff to arrive!!).
What I found interesting is that it’s a blend of Tempranillo, Bobal, Merlot and Shiraz.
It’s a purple-y red colour on the eye. The nose is full of candied fruits and vanilla while in the kisser it’s fruity and juicy with flavours of cherries and plums. I think we both enjoyed this one slightly more than the Argentinian one a few notes back.
Bodega Piedra Negra 2015 Reserve Malbec
Yep, we literally are living out of our suitcases until all our stuff arrives from Perth which means dinner on the floor with plastic plates & cutlery. We’re also trying to save money due to launching a small business which means food & wine from Aldi. This is one of their $10 reds from Argentina.
It’s a typical colour for a Malbec – deep purple-y red. The nose is also deep and dark with black plums and spice dominating for me. In the mouth, it’s juicy and easy drinking. It’s your every day quaffable red wine. The decent tannin and acidity suggest it’d be a great bbq meat feast wine. Mr Spittoon didn’t really agree with the 93 points by James Suckling sticker on the label, even for the $10 price tag
As I continue to try my way through the Aldi wine, I’ll be updating this post, so stay tuned.
What’s your favourite Aldi wine? Leave a comment below!
