I Tried ALDI’s New $5 Wines—They’re Better Than Trader Joe’s “Two-Buck Chuck”

I’ll be adding a few of them to my cart from now on.

I love wine and I love ALDI, so I was really excited when I heard that ALDI released a new collection of wines, the California Heritage Collection. The line is comprised of eight different varietals/styles of wine: two whites (Chardonnay and Moscato), two bubbly (Brut Sparkling and Extra Dry Sparkling), four reds (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Sweet Red) and one pink (Pink Moscato).

Each wine is $4.95, an affordable price point that can go head to head with Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wines (formerly referred to as “two-buck Chuck” and now more like “four-buck Chuck”). While ALDI’s new wines are a dollar or so more expensive, the line boasts quite a few more options than TJ’s budget wines. It’s also a step up from ALDI’s extremely affordable Winking Owl wines.

I decided to conduct a taste test of a few of the wines with some friends. I was joined by my friend Toni (an ALDI newbie) and her friend Sarah (an official ALDI nerd) as my co-testers. Both Toni and Sarah have good palates, like wine, and love a bargain.

We tasted four ALDI California Heritage wines and two TJ's Charles Shaw wines for comparison. It’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it.

The Clear Favorite: California Heritage Merlot

The first wine we tested was the Merlot. The California Heritage hails from Modesto while the Charles Shaw comes from Napa, both at 12.5% to 13% ABV.

California Heritage was the clear winner. ALDI’s Merlot was bright and jammy, filled with berry aromas. I found the Chuck to be drier on my palate with tannins that were so pronounced they were almost bitter. By contrast, the California Heritage was smooth and easy to drink—a perfect patio pounder or wine you’d want to toss into a summer sangria.

Other ALDI Wine Favorites

Next, we tasted the two Chardonnays. Sarah found the ALDI to be a little bit more aromatic while the Charles Shaw was more buttery. “I could be happy with either of these,” Toni said, “but I give my nod to Charles Shaw.” Sarah also preferred Charles Shaw, but if I am drinking anything but an expensive Chardonnay I like things on the lighter side, so I gave the nod to ALDI. It was a draw.

We tasted the California Heritage Brut Sparkling Wine against Korbel Brut. Both had similar amounts of bubbles. “ALDI is sweeter, and it goes down easier,” Sarah said. Toni agreed. “For sure, the ALDI one,” she said, although we all noted that the ALDI bottle didn’t look as nice. All of the California Heritage wines are screw-top, while Charles Shaw and Korbel have corks. I preferred Korbel for its aromatics and body, but I cannot deny what a great deal the ALDI sparkling is—about $7 cheaper than Korbel.

Lastly, we tasted the Pink Moscato. It was sweet but not syrupy—definitely a dessert wine. I think this wine will satisfy a lot of Winking Owl customers, as this line tends toward the sweeter side. Still refreshing with some strawberry aromas, the Moscato paired really beautifully with chocolate. If you had a berry pie or a chocolate mousse, it would make for a perfect pairing.

Affordable Wine Worth Buying

We all enjoyed the ALDI California Heritage Collection, and our absolute favorite of the bunch was the Merlot. “As someone who doesn’t usually shop at ALDI, I’d go just for these wines,” Toni said. And Sarah, who regularly shops at ALDI, definitely has plans to add a few bottles to her cart the next time she goes shopping.

I liked the Merlot so much that I had to go back to the store to try the Pinot Noir. Like the Merlot, it was juicy, with aromas of blackberry and raspberry. Smooth and delicious, it paired beautifully with the salmon dish I cooked. I think I’ll try the California Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon next.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.