Wine with Meg + Mel
The fun + frank podcast which helps you navigate the world of wine. Hosted by Australia's first female Master of Wine Meg Brodtmann, and self-titled Master of Sabrage Mel Gilcrist.
Wine with Meg + Mel
Budget-Friendly Festive Wines: Exploring Aldi Wines
Uncover the secrets to enjoying a festive wine selection without breaking the bank this Christmas!
Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel
Hi and welcome to Wine with Meg and Mel. We're here to help you navigate the world of wine. I'm Mel Gilchrist, run by Master of Wine Meg Rotman. I know we said Meg Gilchrist. What is going on with me? Oh goodness me, I know. Quick apologies for Billy, who is almost definitely going to be making some noises this podcast, but you do what you can, that's right.
Speaker 2:Meg, we are doing Aldi today. We are. So I met Jason Bauer, the wine buyer for Aldi, who I personally think is really rejuvenating the category in Aldi. Yeah, and I just thought it'd be good for us to do another Aldi episode, given the cost of living crisis and we're coming close to Christmas, so I've selected four. He sent quite a few wines and we will cover them all off over a period of time, but I just selected four for your Christmas day.
Speaker 1:I love it, I love it and so typically we're not going like low-end Aldi. Is this like higher end of Aldi?
Speaker 2:$14.99, $13.99, that's premium for Aldi $17.99 and $11.99. So it'll be interesting to see. So when we do judge these wines, you are judging them within their price point to a degree, but I've always found that Aldi really over delivers at their price point. And the thing about Aldi is, you know they because they make their own wine. Well, they don't physically make the wine, but they're selecting the wine and putting it into bottle. It's their own brands. They don't have all those costs associated with branding and marketing and everything. So yeah, anyway, we thought we'd do Aldi.
Speaker 1:All right, Meg First. What should we be drinking?
Speaker 2:So I, had a Yangara Old Vines Grenache, $325. Yeah, so at the MW seminar we did an Old Vines seminar and there was Old Vine Semillon, there was old vine semi-yong, there was um old vine riesling. There was this interesting vineyard that had 16 different varieties in it, um in eden valley, and they'd made a natural wine out of it, which I thought was a bit disappointing because I couldn't really taste the vineyard, um. But we had the, yeah, the yangara, uh, peter fraser, um part of the Jackson Family Wines group, beautiful mineral Grenache, but $325. Wow. But the reason Was it aged? No, it was current vintage, 2022, 2023. Okay, but the reason I wanted to mention that today is because this is my fun fact the OIV has come down with an adopt resolution deciding what defines an old grapevine.
Speaker 1:Who's the OIV?
Speaker 2:The Enological International Enological Viticulture. So, it's the international UN over all things wine.
Speaker 1:Okay, un of wine, okay, un Award.
Speaker 2:So they set all the limits on winemaking additives and everything for Europe, and so we follow a lot of what they do here.
Speaker 1:Okay, so what do they say here? Old?
Speaker 2:grapevine is a single plant officially documented to be 35 years or older, regardless of any other factors. In the case of grafted plants, the graft connection between rootstock and scion should have been understir for at least 35 years. An old vineyard is a block of vineyard terrain, continuous and legally delimited, where at least 85% of the grapevines correspond to the previous definition. So that's kind of why I raised it, because at this seminar we had the 1927 vines Shadow to Bilk Marsan. We had some vines that were planted in the 1800s, but you've got to remember okay, billy, they're old, but you've got to remember that we don't have phylloxera in South Australia. No, this is bullshit. I'm rioting.
Speaker 1:This is bullshit. We have rioting. This is bullshit. We have wines that are like 160 years old. They should be able to cold old. I don't care who hasn't had phylloxera.
Speaker 2:I knew it would get you started, so there you go, mel, there's an official definition.
Speaker 1:All right, I need their email address. I need their Twitter Sure. I'll get on to it.
Speaker 2:Changeorg, it's covering the French. It's making the French or the Europeans look good, but we certainly tried. You know a Tyrell's wine, jono's Semillon yeah, that was from, I think, 1917. It was just amazing. It was interesting, though, in the seminar no one really said what old wine's ad. And when we asked what the yield on the Grenache was Giles Cook, was it talked around and around and around and around and around and never actually gave us the yield. So I'm guessing it's quite high. But there was a guy that was on before who's done his PhD in old vines, dylan someone, and he said that yield old, old wines don't necessarily yield less. It's more to do with how you prune them.
Speaker 1:Okay, do they actually change the flavour then?
Speaker 2:Well, we didn't have the young wines to compare it to.
Speaker 1:I bet they don't.
Speaker 2:Yeah, look, all of the wines were really really, really good, except for this one natty wine that I thought was a bit disappointing.
Speaker 1:But anyway, it just tasted like cider.
Speaker 2:That's what I've been drinking and that was my fun fact. All rolled into one, that was a great fun fact.
Speaker 1:Yep, it really did get me welled up. Okay, let's go. Aldi, christmas Day, aldi wines I feel like there's Aldi wines that are over $20. I want to try like the most expensive wines in Aldi. Oh, maybe we should the champagne's like $35, isn't it? Yeah, I want to try the most expensive Montanaldi.
Speaker 2:So what we have here is the Collezioni Oro a solo Prosecco Superiori DOCG at $14.99. And Jason has kindly given me some notes. He said DOCG quality and something a little different as opposed to Valdobbiadene Fresh, interesting, offering, great value going into Christmas.
Speaker 1:So I mean, yeah, it's nice, it's just Prosecco.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, that's what you want for $15. Yeah, how's the sugar?
Speaker 1:It's a little bit, but it's not, it's fine. Yeah, no, it's good.
Speaker 2:Lovely with your prawns. Yeah, prawn cocktail.
Speaker 1:Bit of smoked salmon on a blimmy. That's an easy Prosecco.
Speaker 2:That is very lovely. Yep and Aperol Spritz, if you're into it. I know everyone gets upset when I say that, but Aperol Spritz is made from Prosecco, so I think that's lovely. There is a touch of residual sugar.
Speaker 1:It's pear-.
Speaker 2:And a little bit of green apple kind of fine mousse. Yeah, that's what it says on the bottle.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's always like there's not much else to say it's a good Prosecco for $3.
Speaker 2:My argument with Prosecco is the sugar level that you just never know what you're going to get. I don't think it actually references anything.
Speaker 1:And my argument with Prosecco is why wouldn't you just drink nice Australian?
Speaker 2:Okay, so it says it's a 2023 and it says Brut, which can be quite high.
Speaker 1:Yes, true, I just never choose Prosecco. I want a nice Australian sparkling that has been aged on lease. That's just my vibe.
Speaker 2:Well, yes, I mean, champagne is just.
Speaker 1:Well, except for champagne. I want champagne. Well, we do need to do the Aldi champagne, because we haven't. Well, we've done it before. We liked it yeah.
Speaker 2:It was great. So now we have Big Bear California Chardonnay 2022 on the label. I love the way $13.99. Sorry you go, you finish your information Brands, but different, yeah. So Jason has said we launched this to compete against Fat Bastard and the other trending American Chardonnays. That's funny, a tale of different styles between the two wines, but a Chardonnay that taps into that rich, buttery style.
Speaker 1:It's just like it's so funny how they, how all these big Chardonnays, try and tell you that they're big and okay, without saying it. They're like what is big? Bears are big, put a bear on the label.
Speaker 2:Oh, actually that's really nice. Yeah, this will do. Could do a little bit of acid, but you know this is a mass market appeal and you need a creamy, soft, easy drinking.
Speaker 1:Buy the glass offering as well as having something that's a bit more mineral. What do you think I like Coke? I like a big Chardonnay like that. I think that will be very popular.
Speaker 2:It says on the back an aromatic, buttery Chardonnay with fresh acidity, lively aromas of citrus, passion, fruit and intensity that leaps out of the glass, providing a lasting finish.
Speaker 1:Like I agree, I personally would like acidity, but I actually don't think the people who want to drink that even want acidity.
Speaker 2:No, I agree, and you don't always want acidity. So if you are just sitting down and having this before your meal, or even with turkey, which is the most bland food that's ever worked, that walked the planet, it would go well with turkey, because at least the wine would have some flavour. It says on the back big, bold and aromatic, and, it's interesting, it's clearly shipped here in bulk, which is environmentally friendly because it says product of the United States, but packed in Australia, which is great, because I was thinking shipping that across the world, you know, not very sustainability, but it's obviously bottled here.
Speaker 1:I just don't understand the reason that you would drink a US Chardonnay, like just because we could make something that tastes exactly the same, like why import Chardonnay from the US?
Speaker 2:Well, diversity of range. It's interesting. Yeah, I guess so, and I mean, California is actually doing a really big push into Australia at the moment.
Speaker 1:Vice versa with Australian Chardonnay too Like. I feel like we can do the same thing. We can, but.
Speaker 2:I think it's interesting. I would pick that up and take that and buy it.
Speaker 1:To be fair, californiaia how I was talking about yesterday, how you you just want to know what you're going to get. That's why regions should do things a little differently. So you pick up a chardonnay, you know vaguely what's going to taste like california. If I pick up a california chardonnay, I know it's going to taste like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I will hand that to them and, like the prosecco, it does what it says on the label. Yeah, it does, and that's good. That's a good, interesting style of Chardonnay and one that would have broad appeal. Yeah, so not in the little fine mineral stage by any imagination. No, I wonder if it's got a little bit of sugar on it. If you don't want to go, that of course go our old friend Golden Oak from Dan McPherson.
Speaker 1:Golden Oak.
Speaker 2:No, I know what you're saying, that we should be drinking Australian. But I think hats off to Aldi, I think it's interesting.
Speaker 1:No, it is interesting. I'm not even like we should be drinking Australian, I'm just like is it worth all the importance?
Speaker 2:It's important in bulk yeah.
Speaker 1:Something is it worth all the important it's imported in bulk.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's something that could come from South Australia. That's all True, but it's not. It's Californian. That's the whole point.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'm sorry, you could have a South.
Speaker 2:Australian Chardonnay and a Californian Chardonnay and a burger, whatever. Okay. Next we're moving to Central Otago. Are you upset that they're importing Pinot Noir from Central Otago? Nah, because it's different. Keora Bay, central Otago, pinot Noir 2022.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you'll like this, and this is what I mean Regionally. I know what Central Otago. I know what it's going to taste like In my head.
Speaker 2:I know exactly how that tastes, different as a region. Okay, so this is a blend of 70% Cromwell Basin and 30% Gibson fruit. So they're going down to the sub-regions. Wow, 15% to 20%, whole bunch From a solid 2022 vintage and quality Central Targum Pinot Noir under $20, $17.99. So Central Targum Pinot generally is a little bit bigger and bolder, spicy, spicy. It has more black cherry than red cherry. It can be quite perfumed. The tannins are certainly, I think, less velvety and more chalky than you get on, say, yarra Valley or Mornington or Adelaide Hills Pinot. It's interesting 15% to 20%, whole bunch. My question is how can they produce it for $18? Again, I'm guessing this is probably shipped in bulk. I can't really see. Anyway.
Speaker 1:That's a good example. That's literally everything we just said in a glass, so maybe we should be using some Aldi wines in.
Speaker 2:WC2, because they are buying the brand of the region, the beacon wine, the classic styles of wines 100% no. I think you've just nailed it.
Speaker 1:I mean so far three of three, though you'd say what you would stereotypically expect from that region, and it is that to a T.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's where the buyers are really clever. Yeah, they know that these wines have a certain style attached to them and they're going out and fulfilling that style. That is lovely. That would go well with turkey, again with cranberry sauce Pork. I reckon it's got a nice line of acidity. The tannins are restrained. I find sometimes Central Otago looks a little bit like a dry red. I reckon it's got a nice line of acidity. The tannins are restrained. I find sometimes Central Otago looks a little bit like a dry red. I agree that is definitely Pinot.
Speaker 1:It doesn't cut off too soon. It's got a little bit of finish too. $18. $18, that's a steal, that's a nice Pinot, that is a really good Pinot For $18.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nice.
Speaker 1:Well, and as you say, though, if someone do, you know what, if someone gave me that Pinot and said here's a Pinot Noir, I'd be like, hmm, it's a bit heavy, or whatever. But if someone said here's a Pinot Noir from central Otago, I'd drink it and I'd go oh, that's delicious. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2:Because it delivers on what you want. Your expectations are changing. Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it, that I would think that was about $35. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yep could be so. Well done, man. Easy drinking though You'd get rid of that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I want to polish that off pretty quickly. It just feels a wee bit warm, but I did bring them straight from my car. Yeah, no, I think that's the actual temperature.
Speaker 1:Okay, I think. Oh does it say on there?
Speaker 2:No, but I'm a blind Betty sometimes oh. Does it say on there no, but I'm a blind Betty sometimes, oh, 13. It's very hard to say 13, but it could be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay.
Speaker 2:And the last one is we have a Rioja. Is it Rioja? Oh, this is the one I've had the Marques del Altrio Rioja Reserva 2017. So the wine has seven years of age on it. Yeah, $11.99. And it's interesting in Jason's notes that he sent to me, he said bottled in screw cap, which was pretty cool. That's like a good thing, yeah, because you know, it would have been bottled seven years ago in screw cap. That's true. Reserva quality a nice, something nice. Nice to have something different.
Speaker 1:So Rioja is Spain and Reserva so that means this is going to be most likely mainly Tempranillo, with maybe a couple other things blended in Graciano.
Speaker 2:Tannins are a wee bit dry, but I do find that in Rioja, you know, and it's seven years old, but it needs food. That would be great with food. Yeah, it needs meat. Don't eat turkey. Do you ever have lamb for Christmas?
Speaker 1:Maybe I don't know. I don't really do Like my mum, just like cooks and I eat it. I don't really know what it is right.
Speaker 2:So your mum goes to all that effort and you're just like, oh, this could be I just, I don't eat much meat.
Speaker 1:I don't know. Okay, I know we have. I know we have like three different types of meat. I just can't tell you what they are. One's turkey, I know that. One's ham, I think sometimes there is lamb, yes, no, yeah, there's lamb. I liked the drank tannins. They weren't rough. No, it needs food. They were dry, but they weren't rough and they were dry in an enjoyable way, and if you had it with food, that would be good.
Speaker 2:That's right. It's a perfect food wine because it's saying to you eat something while you're drinking it and it doesn't feel too alcoholic, so it feels like something that you could easily drink throughout the meal without you know feeling like you're going to fall over or the alcohol fumes are going to take over you if it's 37 degrees on Christmas Day. They're all wines, so you could buy all of that for what, say, an average of $15, $13, under $60 you could probably get.
Speaker 1:It's pretty crazy. It's great. We're trying all the ones I just love. Every now and then I pick up a random one, yeah no, I think it's Like what are you?
Speaker 2:It's great and I think, like you said, it does exactly what it says on the label. Yeah, charlie does. What do you think, billy?
Speaker 1:I do. Dog, dog, dog. She thinks Dog, dog, dog. She said dog before she said mum, so that was cool. That's because Zoe's more important. Yeah, she's obsessed Doggy, all right. Well, that's it for this week. We've ticked off Aldi, although I still want to try like the fanciest ones we can possibly buy from Aldi.
Speaker 2:All right, we'll keep that for next year, because we've only got one more episode to go five back. Okay, that's right. I think I have six. They're all white too.
Speaker 1:I'm going to go back and revisit, all right, well, we're going to go through every wine we've tasted this year. We choose our top five each and then yeah, this is what I was thinking Do we release them in order or just do we release here are 10 wines that we thought were the best or do we actually try and get down to like?
Speaker 2:I think we did.
Speaker 1:We haven't passed on, and that was one of the years, yeah it was okay, we did that all right, so that is what we will be back with next week. Until then, enjoy your next glass of wine and drink well.
.jpg)