Everything is all white at Aldi

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 16 August, 2022

Aldi has lifted the lid on its most popular whites this summer, as consumers looked to slake their thirst in the record-breaking British sunshine.

White wine is leading the charge both at Aldi and across the UK where it currently accounts for 47% of volume sales (versus 39% for red, 12% for sparkling and 2% for fortified).

Now, Aldi has released its list of top-rated and best-selling whites; and it includes some surprises.

As part of the list of its top movers and shakers this summer, the discounter’s top wines include a Greek Assyrtiko and Grüner Veltliner, both retailing for under £6.99.

Once lesser-known varieties among the wider wine-drinking population, the former has been a highflyer since its launch last summer, with 50,000 glasses consumed every week since the beginning of the season.

Described as “one of the best value white wines on Britain’s shelves” by BBC Saturday Kitchen’s Olly Smith, Aldi positions the wine as a strong pairing of nectarine, yellow plum and fennel & almond flavours, which lead to a well-balanced and textured finish.

The medium-bodied Grüner Veltliner, meanwhile – part of Aldi’s Specially Selected range – underpins fruit-forward flavours of apple and pear with notes of white pepper spice, with balanced, dry acidity to the fore.

Sauvignon Blanc makes an appearance, of course. However, the top-selling Sauvignon Blanc – and one of the supermarket’s top-selling wines – is not from New Zealand but from South Africa, where strong sales dovetail with rising sales in the wider South African category. Aldi reports that UK demand for the country’s wines have grown 20% in the last year. The Cambalala South African Sauvignon Blanc (£4.95) is also “proving a hit with shoppers” thanks to its “classic characteristics of tropical, citrus and floral aromas that meet mineral notes for a long-lasting finish”. A total of 2.5 bottles of this wine are sold every minute at Aldi, making it one of the supermarket’s bestselling whites this summer.

Canadian Riesling and French Roussanne complete the list of heavy hitters. The latter, from the Specially Selected range, picked up a silver medal at this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition, marking another stride for alternative single varietal whites from France.

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