How does Aldi wine compare to established red wine labels?

Our wine writer blindly tasted three notable red wines against Aldi’s new range to find the best winter drop — and the results will surprise you.

A wine wankerism or a posh party trick, blind tastings let you choose a wine in a line-up without influence from the brand or label.

This week I tried two wines from Aldi’s winter collection against drops of similar vintage and variety from established wineries.

It was hard to find an exact regional match, which I’ve mentioned in the notes.

Aldi wines performed well in the blind tasting.

2021 Unspoken Red Shiraz Merlot Aldi($12.99)

A blackberry jamminess, with coffee and dusty oak on the nose. Bright blackberry and plums slink across the tongue. A fruit-forward drop that has mouth-drying chalkiness and a very long finish. Elegant. Easy drinking.

2020 Pepperjack Shiraz Dan Murphy’s ($23)

A distinct Barossa shiraz that’s big on blueberries, black plums, black pepper and spice. It’s medium weighted with mad, mouth-drying tannins that carry on for a while. Treasury Wine Estates’ classic steak match is as iconic as Barbecue Shapes, Vegemite and Milo in wine circles.

VERDICT

Same vintage and grape but very different styles. Pepperjack is gruntier, while Unspoken oozes sex appeal with luscious fruit, interesting tannins and a long finish. A mood-dependent pick but PJ wins this round.

NV Pepperjack

Crittenden Estate pinot noir

2021 Small Talk Pinot Noir Aldi ($8.99)

Outrageously vibrant aromas of red cherry and ripe raspberries on the nose, a hint of spice and herbaceous bent. Light on its feet with soft tannins that are lipsmacklingly good with a long finish. Guzzle metre is off the charts. Be careful, it comes in a slightly larger one litre format.

2020 Critten Estate Pinot Noir Cellar door ($34)

Screams of pinot with characteristic forest-floor earthy vibes. There’s plenty of red cherry and red fruit here. A lightweight drop that’s not as fruity or vibrant as other pinots, with pixelated tannins that carry on a bit out the back.

VERDICT

A very big surprise. Small Talk is loud, fun and simply won’t shut up. It says, drink me now while Crittenden is reserved, broody and has layers of complexity that’ll unravel over time in the glass. In the wine-low medal, Aldi gets my three votes.