The 8 Best Aldi Wines, According to a Former Wine Buyer

Much like someone likes discussing sports or their favorite movie, I love talking about wine. Taste is so personal! You say you hate Pinot Grigio? You think this bottle tastes like pop rocks/lava rocks/just rocks? You can’t believe you’ve missed out on Chardonnay all this time? Tell me everything.

The one thing that really gets people all riled up, I’ve noticed, is when I bring up budget-friendly wines — especially ones you can grab at the grocery store over a wine shop. You don’t need to be a sommelier/wine buyer/bartender to appreciate them, nor do you need to memorize notes in order to pick out a stellar bottle. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is simply the following: Do you like this bottle?

My entry point into wine was not necessarily in a Michelin-starred restaurant, but rather sampling basically all (100+) bottles of wine when I ordered them for Trader Joe’s — on top of bartending. So I know my way around grocery store wines. I think there are plenty of amazing sub-$10 bottles of wine, especially at grocers like Aldi. 

These are the ones I especially like, due to their complexity, sheer drinkability, and, yes, value.

1. Sunshine Bay Sauvignon Blanc, $7.99 for 750 mL

With a name that sounds like a soap opera I wish existed, Sunshine Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc is just as juicy as that supposed plot. This Sauvignon Blanc is just what you want out of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: It’s crisp and citrusy, with a hint of tropical passionfruit and guava at the finish.

It really does live up to its name, too — just in how it feels like you’re drinking liquid sunshine on a porch/beach/boat somewhere. If you’re trying to transport yourself anywhere it’s solidly shorts weather, this $7.99 bottle will take you there.

2. Specially Selected Côtes de Provence Rosé, $9.99 for 750 mL

When it comes to wine, it never hurts to memorize a few key regions that’ll always steer you towards a great bottle. Arguably, the most famous region for rosé is Provence, which is precisely where Aldi’s new Specially Selected — a seasonal collection of premium wines — hails from.

Even without all the fancy rigamarole, this bottle would win me over in a blind taste test. It has a bit more body than many rosés out there, with a fruity heft to it that makes me feel like I just bit into a ripe strawberry topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Crisp and dry, this easy-drinking rosé would be a winner at any picnic.

3. Outlander Meritage, $7.99 for 750 mL

I have my own internal way I categorize and memorize wines. Sometimes a wine is a “porch wine,” a “celebration wine,” or, my favorite, a “pizza wine.” In the case of the Outlander Meritage, this bottle is my “holiday rom-com wine.” One sip of this inky blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and suddenly my TV is playing The Holiday. How did that happen? I’m not so sure, but I’m not mad about it.

Notes of clove, berries, and a tinge of vanilla make this bold red blend a veritable fruity cobbler in a glass and have me in my coziest pajamas to make sure Kate Winslet’s character doesn’t go back to Rufus. The horror! 

P.S.: If you, like me, have been wondering what a “meritage” is, it’s a blend of grapes that typically make up a Bordeaux blend, but instead are grown in California. So a meritage (a portmanteau of “merit” + “heritage”) it is! Classic Champagne vs. sparkling wine situation, amiright?

4. Specially Selected Prosecco Superiore DOCG, $10.99 for 750 mL

My love letter to Aldi’s new Specially Selected collection of wine gets even longer, thanks to this amazing Prosecco. Much like the rosé, this Prosecco comes from one of the most famous regions: the Italian town of Valdobbiadene. About an hour north of Venice, this region is protected by UNESCO and wines coming from it earn the DOCG label (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin), which is the highest designation of quality a wine can get under Italian wine law.

And would you look at that — this $10.99 Prosecco has earned its DOCG stripes, with a taste to match. Perky bubbles pop as you get bits of almond, cherry, and a bit of brioche-adjacent yeasty-sweetness. This Prosecco would make for an excellent pre-dinner spritz or brunch-time mimosa, or would be perfect for just sipping straight-up.

5. Intermingle Red Blend, $6.99 for 750 mL

So often we forget that wine makes our food all the more enjoyable, and is not just for drinking on its own. So I think everyone should always have a solid table red that’s ready for anything you throw at it. No matter if your dinner plans are pizza, BBQ, or grazing on a cheese board amongst friends, the Intermingle Red Blend will pair (and improve!) any and all of those eating situations — I’ve tried plenty of them.

With a slight fruity jamminess and soft tannins, this blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot is a great entry-level red blend that’ll make the lighter Pinot Noir lovers and denser Cabernet fans very happy. How often does that happen with one bottle? Pretty much never, TBH, so it’s definitely a good idea to keep one of these on hand for wherever your dinner plans take you.

6. Landshut Riesling, $6.99 for 750 mL

It’s easy to spot a Riesling lover because they’ll likely tell you multiple times (and I love them for that). That being said, there are certainly divided camps when it comes to riesling: Whether you prefer them bone dry or sweet. Landing basically smack dab in the middle of this spectrum, you’ll find the medium-sweet crowd-pleaser that is Landshut Riesling.

This Riesling is the ultimate “get you a wine that can do both,” because while it’s got a punch of honeysuckle sweetness, it also packs in a refreshing bit of bracing acidity and is still light on the palate. If you (or your friend) are a member of the Dry Rieslings Only camp, I have a feeling this perky, easy-drinking bottle just might have you questioning your allegiances.

7. Elementalist Pinot Grigio, $7.99 for 750 mL

Personally, Pinot Grigio isn’t typically my bag. Often they’re too watered-down for my taste, and in that case I might as well drink actual water. But then I met the Elementalist Pinot Grigio one summer day and I quickly backtracked all of my beef with PG.

The Elementalist first lured me in with a bit of floral peach tea that then blossoms into notes of chilled melon and green apple tartness. This bottle of Pinot Grigio is basically the flavor of all the snacky contents of a beach bag (refreshing fruit salad and a juicy herbal tea), and you best believe that this bottle would make a great accompaniment for any day on the sand.

8. Grande Alberone Rosso Red Wine, $9.99 for 750 mL

When in doubt, an Italian red wine (at pretty much any price point), has yet to let me down. So it goes without saying that Aldi’s Grande Alberone red blend, which features Primitivo, Merlot, and Teroldego, is a big (grande, even!) winner for me. This bottle is packed with a concentrated fruity depth that honestly reminds me of Italian appassimento wines, like Amarone, which is when dried, not fresh, wine grapes are fermented into wine, and has an earthy, chocolate-covered cherry richness.

Best of all, unlike Amarone, you don’t have to worry about just how easy-drinking this bottle is. Amarone, if you’re unfamiliar, is one of those $$$ varieties of wine you might only buy for a special occasion. Now every day can be a celebration, as the Grande Alberone is only $9.99. 

Did your favorite Aldi wines make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.

A version of this story was first published on November 18, 2018 by Diane McMartin.