Aldi launches first red sparklers in fizz focused wine festival

UK discounter Aldi is focussing on “alternative” fizz for its summer wine festival, which includes its first sparkling red wines.

The retailer is introducing a limited of 24 ‘special buy’ lines that go in store today, with the focus on ‘alternative sparkling wines” that can tap into the never-ending popularity for Prosecco while broadening customers’ palates.

The new fizz lines include two red sparkling wines, an “unusually refreshing” Shiraz from New Zealand, Fork and Spoon (RRP: £7.99) and a premium Lambrusco Graspa Rossa (RRP: £8.99), along with an unfiltered South African Louisville Cap Classique Sparkling Chardonnay (RRP: £11.99) made using the traditional Champagne method. The remaining three sparklers include “more recognisable” lines, Aldi said, including a Pata Negra Vintage Cava (RRP: 6.99), an Austrian sparkling Goldeck Grüner Veltliner (RRP: £8.99) and a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc (RRP: £11.99) from Gardo & Morris.

It follows the retailer boosting its focus on the Italian fizz in the Spring, with the addition of a new organic Prosecco, its first Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG in the premium Lot Series and Prosecco DOGC NV magnum, after seeing a 50% uplift in Prosecco sales during 2016, compared to the previous year.

The retailer added Prosecco sales were at “an all time high” with growth of 36% anticipated over the next five years.

It has also reported great success with its premium own-label Exquisite Collection Crémant, which was bumped into the premium own label tier in the Spring, claiming it accounts for 90% of Crémant du Jura sold in the UK.

Sales of its Contevedo Cava Brut have also risen 27% this year, it noted, bucking the wider trend in slowing Cava sales.

Joint managing director for corporate buying Tony Baines said there were more sparkling wines to be discovered besides Prosecco.

“As we were curating our ‘Summer Wine Festival’ we saw an opportunity to introduce some exciting and less well known bottles of fizz for shoppers to try something new,” he said.

Other limited edition additions to the range comprise five white wines, 12 red wine, and a Fleurs de Prairie Côtes de Provence Rosé,(RRP: £6.99), which replaces the IWSC silver award winning Exquisite Collection Côtes de Provence Rosé, which sold out. The red wines includes wines from Spain, including El Contastera Old Vines Garnacha, (RRP: £6.99) from winemaker Fernando Mora, and Uva Pirata Petit Vedot, (RRP: £8.99), three from Australia, including The Restless Wine Merchant Wrattonbully Shiraz, (RPP: £8.99) by winemaker Adam Eggins, Chile and South Africa. The whites include a German Riesling, a Lebegés Grüner Veltliner (RRP: £4.99) and a Nonius Chardonnay Feteasca, (RRP: £5.29).

In May, the retailer won the drinks retailer of the year in this year’s Drinks Business Awards, after seeing its wine sales grow by 15%, well ahead of the wider beer, wine and spirit market.