Every Aldi Winking Owl Wine, Ranked Worst To Best

Finding a bottle of wine that is affordable and tastes great can be a daunting task for wine lovers. Far too often, quality comes with a price, with prized bottles of Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon costing more than a monthly mortgage. Aldi aims to change that by offering an extensive line of quality private label wine. Aldi's Winking Owl Wines (WOW) are the least expensive of the private-label offerings, crafted for everyday wine enjoyment. 

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The discount chain, one of the best grocery stores in the country, partnered with E & J Gallo to craft the California appellation wines. Gallo is the same producer for Aldi's California Heritage collection and other value brands like Barefoot and Apothic wines and premium selections from wineries like Louis M. Martini, Orin Swift, and Pahlmeyer. The Winking Owl Wines retail exclusively at Aldi, selling for less than $4.00 a bottle, making them a bargain for any budget, even if the wines don't have the complexity of a premium offering. Though inexpensive, the wines should be varietally correct, well-made, without flaws, and easy to drink. 

To create the ranking, I ventured to my local Aldi store and purchased a bottle of each of the 10 options currently available in the WOW portfolio. I taste-tested each offering, assessing its overall character. As a Certified Sommelier and wine professional I have spent the past few decades tasting and reviewing wines. Here are the Aldi Winking Owl wines, ranked.

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10. Winking Owl Moscato

Highly aromatic and refreshing, Moscato is typically a low-alcohol wine often with a slight bit of natural effervescence. The wine's origin is in France, where it is known as muscat. Still, selections from the rolling hills of Asti within Piedmont in the northwestern corner of Italy, where it is known as Moscato Bianco, craft some of the finest Moscato options in the world. Selections typically contain around 5% alcohol by volume (ABV), have a light body, nose-tickling fizziness, and show floral aromas of wisteria and jasmine, with peach blossom, ripe apricot, and fresh grapes. 

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Unfortunately, Aldi's selection is not this. The Winking Owl Moscato is a California appellation wine with 9% ABV, zero fizzy effervescence, and a cloyingly sweet palate. The delicate floral aromas that make Moscato so intriguing were absent, replaced instead by subtle aromas of ripened fruits. The wine is a good option for pairing wine with desserts, as you will want the sugary flavors to match, with the wine's taste slightly sweeter than the dessert, helping enhance the taste of the treat. However, the weight of the palate, syrupy texture, and pervasive candied flavor with little nuance or acidic freshness make this wine an option to skip in the WOW portfolio, ranking last on the list.

9. Winking Owl Merlot

Merlot is like the labrador of red wines in that it is easy to love, and gets along with everyone. Where other red grapes, like pinot noir, are highly susceptible to rot or mildew and need ideal temperatures to thrive, merlot can thrive in a mix of micro-climates and terroirs and ripens typically weeks earlier than its Bordeaux cousin, cabernet sauvignon. 

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The wines are lush, well-rounded, juicy, and balanced. So much so, it was named the best red wine in a Tasting Table survey. The beauty of merlot is its easy approachability, with soft tannins and balanced acidity, as displayed in premium Right Bank of Bordeaux prized wines, like those from Chateau Ausone, Chateau Angelus, and Cheval Blanc. A medium to full body wine, merlot typically shows soft plum, red berry, and cherry flavors with a lovely consistency that makes it a great food wine, particularly with game dishes like pan-seared lamb chops, venison stew, or roasted quail

Winking Owl's Merlot, however, comes across as watery, with less texture and body than some non-alcoholic wines I have tried, even though the wine has 12% ABV. Black fruit flavors of blackberry, plum, and black grapes are present; however the wine lacks complexity, acidity, and a tannic backbone, coming across as flabby on the palate, with a short, lack-luster finish. While it is understood that the $4 wine won't have the depth of a Right Bank beauty, the overall lack of nuance keeps this wine at the bottom of the options.

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8. Winking Owl Sweet Red

Taking the first sip of WOW Sweet Red, I didn't know if I should drink it or pour it over ice cream. Aldi delivers on its sugary promise, producing a sticky selection with candied raspberries, blackberry pie, and blueberry jam. The wine is smooth; however, it lacks the tannin and acidity needed to balance the dessert wine. Instead, Aldi's selection tastes more like candied Concord grapes. 

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The retailer does not include specifics regarding the grape variety of the wine, only that it is a California appellation selection with 8% ABV. The low alcohol indicates there is likely a high amount of residual sugar in the wine that did not convert into alcohol during fermentation. This residual sugar is often balanced with zesty freshness in other wines, like a high-acid riesling. Unfortunately, freshness is lacking in Aldi's wine. 

If you gravitate to sugary treats, the wine will please your palate, with the fruit-filled flavors pairing well with chocolate desserts, like an indulgent death by chocolate cake. The sweetness of the cake helps balance the sugar coated wine's flavors, creating the perception of dryness in the drink, while the wine's fruity flavors will balance any bitterness the chocolate may have. While it is not the type of wine I could drink regularly due to the cloyingly dominant flavors. However, the wine is what it says it is and nothing more, a sweet red wine, ranking it slightly higher than others.

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7. Winking Owl Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular red wines globally. It is one of the most widely planted varieties due to its appeal, melding harmoniously into a red wine blend or standing on its own with full-bodied character, structure, and bold black fruit flavors. Cabernet sauvignon pairs well with fatty cuts of meat, like a ribeye steak, where the tannin and acidity can cut through the richness of the steak, helping cleanse the palate. 

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Sadly, the WOW Cabernet Sauvignon lacked the qualities and characteristics expected in a wine from the variety. Instead of a textural palate with chewy tannins and well-rounded complexity, the wine led only with taste, providing flavors of dark fruits and toasted oak, including blackberry, cherry, and vanilla. The aromas were fruit forward, but lacking varietal character, and the finish was short and non-descriptive. While the wine did not have the watery, flat character of the Winking Owl Merlot, it did not live up to the expectation of a quality cabernet sauvignon, ranking in the bottom half of the list.

6. Winking Owl White Zinfandel

White zinfandel began as a mistake that took the country by storm when Sutter Home introduced the product as a by-product of another wine. The winery was trying to produce a more robust red zinfandel wine, bleeding off a bit of grape juice before fermentation, hoping to intensify the red zin's flavors. Winemaker Bob Trinchero fermented the free-run juice to a dry rosé wine, bottling it under the original name Oeil de Perdrix ("Eye of the Partridge"). A few years into the rosé production, the fruit's sugars did not fully convert into alcohol, resulting in a stuck fermentation. The winery bottled the 2% residual sugar wine anyway, naming it white zinfandel, helping launch a new wine category while earning Sutter Home a spot in the Smithsonian.

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When drinking white zinfandel, I expect the wine will have sweetness based on what made it popular decades ago, giving Aldi's option identifiable characteristics similar to Sutter Home's original. The wine's candied red summer fruit flavors of red cherries, raspberries, and strawberries wash over the palate. A hint of much-needed and appreciated acidity and delicate tannin helps cut through some of the wine's sugary tastes. This combination of these elements makes the 8.5% alcohol salmon pink-colored wine an excellent complement to spicy Asian, Caribbean, or Mexican dishes, like Thai chili spiced Tom Yum soup, Thai chicken curry, or peppery scotch-bonnet-filled jerk chicken. While I would likely only drink one glass of the white zinfandel versus a whole bottle, its authenticity to the category places the wine in the middle of the ranking.

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5. Winking Owl Sangria

Sangria is a drink that blends red or white wine with brandy, fruit juices, fresh fruit, and spices. It has been around since Roman times, initially in a blend of wine and water, as the alcohol in the wine would kill any bacteria in unpurified water at the time. Today, a fruity red sangria cocktail is perfect for pairing with authentic Spanish dishes, like rich and hearty albondigas meatballs or saffron-spiced seafood paella.  

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Aldi's WOW Sangria reminded me very little of the beloved Spanish drink when sipped alone. The most apparent attribute of Aldi's wine was its exceptional sweetness, coating the palate in candied red fruit flavors. However, the addition of fresh citrus slice, which gave a much-needed note of acidity to the wine's flavor, along with a splash of sparkling water and a whole lot of ice, helping meld the sugary taste, transformed the sangria into a drink I would happily enjoy on a summer day with a platter of jamon Iberico and manchego cheese, two other Spanish favorite dishes. 

Sangria can use any variety of wine so it does not need to show varietal character or have the complexity expected of a typical glass of quality wine. Sangria is refreshing and approachable, which Aldi's option became when I doctored the drink, earning it a mid-point spot in our ranking.

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4. Winking Owl Shiraz

Syrah and Shiraz are the same variety. However, the red grape's style, and typically the name it goes by, is a reflection of the place that it comes from. Syrah tends to be the name of wines from cooler climates, where the wines show bright acidity and savory, lean, earthy, Old World flavors, like the wines from the Rhone Valley of France. Shiraz wines tend to come from warmer climates, like the arid regions of Australia, showing fruit-forward New World style. 

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The California appellation Winking Owl Shiraz shows a New World character with fruit-forward, jammy flavors. The first taste when opening the bottle of Winking Owl Shiraz came across as very alcoholic, with the wine's 13% ABV burning the palate with the bite of alcohol. However, allowing the wine to breathe for around an hour softened the burn, allowing vegetal notes of woody herbs, green pepper, and green peppercorn to come through. These characteristics mingled with black fruit flavors of cherry, berry, and plum with soft tannins and a hint of acidity. The wine's savoriness makes it appealing for pairing with savory stews, braised meats, or sausage burgers with peppers and onions, ranking the wine in the middle of the pack.

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3. Winking Owl Chardonnay

Aldi's dry white Winking Owl wines rank high on the list, likely due to their colder serving temperature, ideally between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring the thirst-quenching, refreshing attributes of the wines come through, particularly the light-bodied WOW sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio options. The WOW Chardonnay has a medium body and alcohol level of 12%, making the best serving temperature on the warmer end of the scale, around 50-55 degrees, helping enhance the natural weight and texture of the wine. While there is little complexity, the wine has nice fruit flavors of golden orchard and tropical fruit, like apples, mango, and banana, suggesting it may be from a warmer climate in California, with low acidity. 

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The wine is a good option to enjoy with poached white fish or roasted lemon chicken, with the acidity from the lemon in the dish drawing out the wine's citrus notes, adding freshness to help lift the palate. Serve the chardonnay in a classic white wine glass with a large bowl that narrows at the top helping concentrate the aromas while keeping the wine cool. The shape of the wine glass does matter, as it will help with the wine's overall enjoyment.

2. Winking Owl Sauvignon Blanc

Aldi's Winking Owl Sauvignon Blanc has a light body, juicy flavor, and refreshing appeal, ranking it second on our list. The wine has 13.5% ABV, the highest alcohol of the brand's wines. However, when serving the wine at the right temperature on the low end of the recommended 45 – 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the cold temperatures softened the alcoholic bite while helping maintain the wine's natural freshness. 

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The flavors showed a style consistent with the other white wines in the portfolio, likely coming from fruit grown in a warmer climate within California as it lacked classic cool-climate sauvignon blanc flavors of gooseberry, grapefruit, soft herbs, and lime often associated with wines from New Zealand or Loire Valley. Instead, Aldi's option layered golden apple and ripe golden citrus with a dry, clean finish. While the selection had a nice acidity, it was not racy, like a Marlborough offering or as crisp as an option from one of California's cool climate regions, like from SLO Coast or Sonoma Coast. Instead, the palate of WOW Sauvignon Blanc's was soft and round, pairing well with seafood dishes, like grilled halibut or baked salmon with chimichurri.

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1. Winking Owl Pinot Grigio/Colombard

Aldi's WOW Pinot Grigio/Colombard blends 54% pinot grigio with 46% colombard. Colombard is not as widely known a variety in America; however, the easy to grow grape is one of the most widely planted varieties internationally. It is an excellent blending partner with varieties like ugni blanc, sauvignon blanc, and for Aldi's purposes, pinot grigio. The variety has a relatively neutral flavor and bright acidity, ensuring a finished wine blend is fresh and crisp while showing the characteristics of the dominant grape in the blend. 

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Winking Owl's white blend has 11% ABV, making it easy to enjoy as a pairing with fresh salad, seafood, or light pasta dishes, like our spaghettini with garlic butter sauce. The $3.95 price also makes it an affordable wine to cook with, helping round out the flavor of the pasta sauce. The wine is available in 750ml bottles and a convenient 3L bag-in-box option, perfect for serving large gatherings on its own or mixing up a thyme-infused wine punch for a crowd. With soft flavors of lemon-lime, tropical fruit, and stone fruit, Aldi's white blend ranks high due to its balanced, fruit-forward flavor, and a highly affordable price in either size option, with the 3L box costing less than $14. While the entire Winking Owl brand wines lack complexity, the white blend is the most symbolic of a California-style pinot grigio, placing the wine on the top of the list.

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Methodology

To create this ranking, I began by taste-testing each of the wines at Aldi's recommended temperature. I did not taste them side by side, as the sweetness of some would have overwhelmed the palate making the dry wines taste overly acidic. Instead, I tried each on its own over the course of several days to ensure an accurate assessment. As little is known about each wine's provenance, as the California appellation wines allow for very broad quality and production requirements, the analysis came from the taste test for each wine compared to how the authentic characteristics of the variety should taste, and in comparison to the other options within the brand. I utilized my skills as a trained Certified Specialist in Wine and a Certified Sommelier who has been reviewing, judging, and writing about wine for over 20 years.

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