Stationed on the top floor of the Tate Modern, the Aldi Autumn/Winter wine tasting started off with a range of sparkling wines.
With the lowest-cost (alcoholic) options landing at around £5 and the highest reaching £22.99 – for the Veuve Monsigny Champagne Premier Cru – the selection was large, with eight completely brand-new sparkling wines to be released to the public in September and October.
Of all the sparkling options, two especially stood out, starting with the Specially Selected Sparkling Wine of England, released under Aldi’s Bowler & Brolly brand, previously known for releasing English-style wines including a Bacchus and a White Cuvée.
From Kent and to be sold for £9.99 per bottle, the liquid, which is made with the Charmat method, is made up of 50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier.
Secondly, the Specially Selected Sparkling Shiraz was of interest. Hailing from South Africa, the liquid is 100% Shiraz with tasting notes of black cherry and redcurrant, making it the only red option among the otherwise white selection.
The white wine section in the tasting included 14 new bottles, the majority of which will be released in September, except for a Chablis Premier Cru, a Pouilly-Fumé and a Sancerre, which are to follow later in November.
In terms of provenance, most of the white wine options were from France, South Africa, Italy and New Zealand. An exception was an orange option – Der Komponist Austrian Orange Wine – which wine buyer Josh Heley described as being inspired by “the buzz on social media and a growing curiosity for bold, unique flavours.”
The blend for the orange is 75% Grüner Veltliner, 15% Gewürztraminer and 10% Riesling with flavours of citrus peel, black pepper, and herbal notes.
Turning to rosé, unsurprisingly, Provence style continued to thrive with two of the six options coming from Provence, France. However, the range also included two new Rosados from Spain – the Specially Selected Cigales Rosado and the Specially Selected Rioja Rosado.
On the category, Heley said: “The unwavering commitment our customers have shown to rosé in the past year has been remarkable.”
Moving to reds, two opposing trends emerged within the range, with a joint focus on light, quaffable styles – shown by the brand-new Specially Selected Fleurie, made of 100% Gamay – contrasted with the bolder styles – shown by the Specially Selected Ribera del Duero, made of 100% Tempranillo – that become more popular in the winter months.
Commenting on this, Neil Hadley MW, manager at Aldi’s global sourcing wine department, said: “On the consumer side, demand is growing for two extremes; lighter, fresher, lower-alcohol wines and then, contrastingly, bigger, bolder styles, especially for the festive season.”
Region-wise, a striking addition to the autumn/winter range was the Specially Selected Moldovan Rară Neagră from Central Valley, Moldova. To be sold for £7.99 a bottle, the introduction of the wine represents the country’s mission to increase its exports. In total, Aldi showcased 20 new reds, the most in any category.
Finally, the tasting also presented three new fortified wines, one of which will launch in September with the others in November. On the range, Hadley added: “For Christmas, our premium Ports are real stars – the Fletcher’s LBV and Fletcher’s 10-Year-Old Tawny are both absolute crackers.”
A wide range of new products with a few very interesting standouts, the Aldi tasting walked the line between autumn/winter favourites and taking part in new trends.
