Aldi has a lot of budget-friendly wines on offer, but one line really stands out when it comes to value: Winking Owl. Priced at around $4 a bottle, Winking Owl is incredibly affordable, and although the retailer hasn’t officially revealed which experts it partnered with to create the Californian wines, many believe it’s E. & J. Gallo, the winemakers behind the popular Apothic and Barefoot labels.
The Winking Owl range includes nine different varieties, and while everyone has their preferences, one that particularly impressed our experts at Tasting Table was the Pinot Grigio/Colombard. With soft lemon-lime and tropical flavors, the white blend earned the top spot in our ranking of every Aldi Winking Owl wine from worst to best. It was balanced, fruit-forward, and you could even grab a 3-liter box for less than $14.
Unfortunately, the Pinot Grigio/Colombard blend seems to have been removed from the Winking Owl lineup. But while some shoppers were disappointed by the change, there is light at the end of the tunnel: It’s been replaced with an award-winning Pinot Grigio that has received some pretty good reviews so far.
The return of an old favorite
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Winking Owl Pinot Grigio on Aldi’s shelves.The variety has cycled in and out of stores over the years, and while no two wine seasons are the same, it remains a favorite for many deal-seeking Aldi shoppers when available. The new Winking Owl Pinot Grigio has subtle notes of citrus and stone fruit, making it light-bodied, slightly sweet, and refreshing when chilled. Like the Pinot Grigio/Colombard blend, it’s a great wine to pair with seafood dishes like baked honey citrus salmon or brown butter shrimp pasta.
Its fruit-forward profile also makes it an ideal complement to a light dessert, such as a lemon tart or crème brûlée. Some people choose to use it as a cooking wine, too. But not everyone loves the replacement. Some fans of the old Pinot Grigio/Colombard blend have written online about the new Pinot Grigio tasting “weird.” One person even told a Facebook forum that they poured their bottle down the sink.
However, while Winking Owl wines may lack the complexity of premium offerings, they are still a bargain and the Pinot Grigio earned a Silver Medal and Best Buy award at the Beverage Testing Institute World Wine Championships. At such an affordable price point, it’s worth trying if you’re on the hunt for a new everyday wine.
