Who doesn’t love a bargain? Here, in no particular order, is a selection of wines you can pick up for under a tenner. Ignore the RRPs listed here – all these wines are often heavily discounted by the chains and are regularly, if not always, available for less than $10. And if you haven’t been buying wine at Aldi, now’s the time to start.
Corte Carista Chianti Classico 2009 (Chianti, Italy) $9.99; 12.5%, 4 stars
Trust Aldi to deliver a Chianti Classico for under 10 gold coins. It’s low in alcohol, but is rather ripe and full-bodied. It smells intriguing, with redcurrant, plum, black cherry and spice. Smooth, rich flavours of stewed plum, spice, oak, with earthy mineral characters have depth, and bright acid cuts through well. Fine tannins drive a decent finish. I would drink it right away.
Food match | Veal ragu
Baron Amarillo Reserva 2008 (Rioja, Spain) $9.99; 13.5% 3 ½ stars
The word amarillo – yellow in Spanish – puts me in mind of the Tony Christie song of the same name. Sweet Marie can wait for me while this is open. It’s old-school Rioja, with deep, dark fruit aromas of stewed plums, earth and burnt toffee. There’s no huge burst of flavour, but it’s interesting, easy to drink and has a good clip of powdery tannin that provides structure. It’s an Aldi import.
Food match | Chicken and chorizo hotpot
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (Australia) $14; 13.5% 4 stars
This smells really good: classic cab sav characters on the bouquet are red and blackcurrant, cedar, mint and blackberry. A smooth texture delivers rich blackberry, blackcurrant, bittersweet chocolate and vanillin flavours. They’re robust and fresh, with a lightness – but not light flavours – carrying through to the finish.
Food match | Lamb chops
Deen De Bortoli Vat 9 Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (Australia) $12.90; 13.5% 4 ½ stars
The Deen De Bortoli wines usually over-deliver, but here’s a standout. Dusty, earthy aromas of blackcurrant, plum, blackberry, mint and violets are mirrored in the mouth, with bright acid and grippy tannins. It’s lengthy and highly drinkable. Well worth stocking up on for cold nights ahead, as it goes well with winter food.
Food match | Braised lamb
A.C. Byrne & Co Chardonnay 2012 (Margaret River) $9.99; 13.5% 4 stars
It’s rare to see a Margaret River chardonnay for under $20, let alone $10. This opens up a bit reductive, but a quick decant sees the sulphur smell blow off. Stonefruits, spice and citrus then reveal themselves. It’s pure, textural and has a nice intensity to the fresh, bright peachy lemon flavours. There’s a light grip on the lemon-driven finish.
Food match | Roast chicken
De Bortoli Sacred Hill Chardonnay 2013 (South-eastern Australia) $7; 12.5% 3 ½ stars
I look forward to opening the new vintage of this wine each year – for $7 it is a real bargain. Peach, honeydew melon, tropical fruits and citrus aromas are varietal and smell good. Creamy, smooth and with similar flavours that are clean and generous. That’s no mean feat, but there’s a pithy zesty citrus flavour that’s rarely found in wines under $15.
Food match | Tarragon chicken
El Toro Macho 2012 (Utiel-Requena, Spain) $5; 12.5% 3 ½ stars
Ignore the price, the dodgy name and the fact the wine comes from a region that’s one of Spain’s lesser lights – Aldi is on to a winner with this. Classic tempranillo aromas of cola, cherry, blood orange, blackberry and a little spice are on bold display. The wine is similarly flavoured and supported by a smooth texture, juicy acid and soft tannins. There’s some serious drinkability going on here.
Food match | Rabbit stew
The Winesmiths Chardonnay 2012 (South Australia) $18.99 (2 litres); 13.5% 3 ½ stars
Good wine can come in casks! Part of the Yalumba stable, this displays ripe chardonnay aromas – peach, fig, spice, citrus – that are varietal and tasty. It has a smooth texture, zippy acid, and rounded flavours, plus a pithy citrus flavour.
Food match | Chicken fajitas
Deakin Estate Shiraz 2013 (Murray Darling) $10; 13.5% 4 stars
Deakin Estate’s parent company is Spanish Cava behemoth Freixenet, which knows a lot about making big quantities of well-priced wine. Some has rubbed off onto Deakin. With plum, raspberry, blackberry, spice and wet stone aromas, it’s got a lot going for it. Things get better in the mouth, with bright red berry, cola, cocoa and spice flavours, fine grippy tannins and refreshment to the lengthy finish.
Food match | Braised sausages and lentils
Lindeman’s Bin 50 Shiraz 2013
(South-east Australia) $9.99; 13.5% 4 stars
It’s easy to overlook wines that feel as though they’ve been around forever. In Lindeman’s case, it has, with Dr Henry Lindeman planting his first vines in the Hunter Valley in 1843. Earthy aromas include blackcurrant, dark cherry, plum and clove. Similar sweet flavours have good concentration with bright acid and fine, grippy tannins. Its length is impressive, too.
Food match | Daube of beef
Jacob’s Creek Classic Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV (South-eastern Australia) $14.99; 11.5% 3 ½ stars
In its 14 years this has become one of Australia’s best-value bubbles. It smells great, with lovely rich citrus and stonefruit aromas from the chardonnay and red berry characters from the pinot. This is soft and gentle in the mouth, with honeyed biscuit notes and intense lemon and nectarine flavours. There’s quite a lot of complexity to this.
Food match | Oysters
Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz 2012 (South-eastern Australia) $16; 13.9% 4 stars
Ignore the price tag – you’ll find Australia’s biggest-selling red for much less. Rich black cherry, blackberry, plum and cocoa aromas with an aniseed character that adds an extra dimension. Smooth and bright, this has vibrant acid, red and black berries, fresh-cut and stewed plum and a blood orange-like refreshment that works really well.
Food match | Cassoulet
Follow Ben on Twitter @senorthomas
