The Highly Sought-After Wine That Has Aldi Customers Rushing To The Store
Aldi is known for many things such as its low-cost items, its in-house branded items, and its special buys that often range from odd to quirky finds. It's also known for having a pocket-friendly selection of alcohol. While many things in Aldi may occasionally raise an eyebrow or two, this particular wine had some people saying things like "How did their buyers/suppliers manage to swing this?" per Reddit.
The wine in question is a French import known as a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Much like many French wines, this refers to the region where the beverage is produced. However, this particular wine is so popular that Wine Folly describes it as "the gateway drug to French wine." The region lies in the south of France on the Southern Rhône and is about 130 miles south of Lyon.
While Wine Folly points out that the region's vineyards produce both red and white varieties, it's the red that produces 93% of wines that come out of the area. The usual price per bottle in the State starts around the $40 mark and can range up to $300, via Total Wine. So this Aldi find, understandably, may have made the buyer feel like they'd struck gold.
Is this possibly one of the best Aldi finds?
Reddit user @DabbleOnward posted the find on the Aldi subreddit saying, "For real Aldi? Diabolical! $24.99. About to taste it once I'm home!" They said that they'd had experience working in restaurants and so knew a little about wine. On tasting, the poster said that it was a young wine and described it as "a friendlier flavor" with a "deep garnet color. Not as dry and earthy but slightly richer and more fruity [and with] blackberry [and] dark cherry notes."
@DabbleOnward also noted that this wine typically had at least 60% Grenache which is usual for a Chateauneuf-du-Pape according to Wine Folly.
The Reddit user also mentioned that they found this in an Aldi in Roebuck, Alabama. Others commented that they would have to see if it was available at their local store. However, several lamented that they would not be able to find this as some Aldi locations are not able to sell alcoholic beverages. One person near such a store in New Jersey even said they'd even be willing to make a road trip to Vermont or Virginia just to pick up a bottle of this special Aldi find.