Save money and enjoy a cheaper alternative with Aldi's £8 version of a famous fine wine.

How does it flavor?

March 16th 2024.

Save money and enjoy a cheaper alternative with Aldi's £8 version of a famous fine wine.
Are you a wine lover on a budget? Look no further because we have a fantastic pick from Aldi just for you. Unless you're a wealthy aristocrat with money to burn, there's no need to splurge on an outrageously expensive bottle of red. Trust us, save your money, my dear.

But here's the exciting news - Aldi is offering a bottle of red that could easily pass for a £200 bottle of the iconic Penfolds Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, for just £7.99. We know, it sounds too good to be true. Of course, we all dream of having a cellar filled with luxurious wines like the 1928 Petrus, but let's be real, who has that kind of space these days? Let's be grateful for our tiny closets under the stairs, if we're lucky.

Luckily, Aldi is known for its budget-friendly versions of the world's most coveted and expensive wines. It's kind of their thing. So it's no surprise that the labels of these two wines bear a striking resemblance. I mean, come on, at first glance, it's hard to tell them apart, right?

Our friend Rob Buckhaven from Metro tried Aldi's £7.99 Specially Selected Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and was impressed. The label is undeniably reminiscent of the fancy Penfolds bottle. And who wouldn't want to pretend to be a millionaire wine connoisseur, sipping on highly sought-after bottles in the comfort of their sprawling country house? It's called manifesting, and we're here for it.

But let's come back down to Earth for a moment. Upon closer examination, there are some noticeable differences between the two wines. The Penfolds brand has been around since 1844 and is a frequent award-winner, consistently earning high ratings from influential wine critics. Their Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are carefully selected from the most esteemed blocks in Coonawarra's vineyards and aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. It's truly a magical wine, balancing power, elegance, and flavor.

Speaking of flavor, imagine a punnet (that's a fancy term for a small basket) filled with the ripest red fruits like pomegranate, wild raspberries, and rhubarb, with hints of cedar, oolong tea, and dried rosemary. Is your mouth watering yet? Aldi's version, on the other hand, is made by a larger wine cooperative using grapes from two of Australia's top regions for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra and The Barossa Valley. It's aged for 14 months in oak barrels, resulting in a juicy, jammy red wine with soft tannins and a hint of spice and mocha. When I tasted it, it was like diving headfirst into a pot of fresh damson jam with a touch of cinnamon and a sprinkle of mocha. Trust me, it's delicious. Not that I've ever actually tried it, but you get the idea.

But you may be wondering, how can one wine be £192 more expensive than the other? Well, aside from using the best grapes from a fantastic vintage, Penfolds Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon is made by renowned winemaker Peter Gago and is only produced in the very best years to maintain its exceptional quality. And let's not forget, you're also paying for the prestigious Penfolds name on the label. They have a reputation for producing some of the finest wines in Australia and the world.

This particular wine is considered the ultimate representation of the Coonawarra region. It's a unique region with a 27km-long strip of "terra rossa" soil, which is a type of red clay that has been weathered over thousands of years. This soil is highly valuable as it provides the perfect drainage and nutrients for the vines, resulting in a Cabernet Sauvignon with unmatched concentration and complexity.

So, in summary, a wine like Penfolds Bin 169, made from the best grapes in the best region by the best winemaker, is truly a rare find. And as much as we would love to have a bottle, we'll stick to our Aldi version and save some money. But hey, if anyone wants to buy us a bottle, we won't say no.

And if you consider yourself a connoisseur of fine drinks, be sure to check out Metro's Drinks Club. Led by industry expert Rob Buckhaven, it's a place for readers to discover the latest and greatest in the world of drinks. From exploring the trend of Indian Gin to finding a wallet-friendly alternative to French Champagne, this is a haven for those who love to indulge. Keep up with the latest drinks, expert interviews, food pairings, and more. And who knows, maybe you'll find the answer to life's most pressing questions, like can cheap vodka taste expensive if filtered through a Brita? Or what happens when you put wine in a blender? These are the important things in life, my friends.

So go ahead, pour yourself a glass and join us at Metro Drinks Club. Cheers!

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