A tale of two Montepulcianos

I'm a big fan of Aldi. Since the economic crash of 2008, the German discount retailer, along with its Teutonic counterpart Lidl, have surged in popularity in the UK, and now control around 8.5% of the nation's grocery market combined. It is a testament to the two chains' no-nonsense approach and sensible pricing of a wide range of products that mean more and more of us (and not just cash-strapped students like myself!) are spending our money there. And it's not just groceries that can be found cheaply: the savvy, unpretentious wine lovers among us know that there are a myriad of gems just waiting to be unearthed and enjoyed.

A case in point is Aldi's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from Italian producer Castellore. The 2011 vintage, bought for a staggeringly low £3.49, was a sublime wine which I had no hesitation in recommending to anyone and everyone when I tasted it back in July 2013. Of the 2010 vintage, the Telegraph's wine correspondent Victoria Moore commended the wine's value, drinkability and ability to deliver on typicity:  

"What I am really asking is: does the wine bear any resemblance to what it’s supposed to be[...]? And can I get it down? Happily, yes is the answer in both cases here: soft, fruity, easy — where’s that plate of spaghetti amatriciana?"

In a similar vein, writer Ned Halley said of the 2010 vintage in his 2013 book 'The Best Wines in the Supermarkets':

"Brambly whiff of healthy hedgerow fruit comes off this well-coloured, bouncing, friendly pasta-matching red. I cannot understand how they do it at the price".

I was equally as complimentary about the 2011 vintage, with its nose of subtle spiced fruits and balanced acidity. The real attraction for me, however, was the wine's sumptuously jammy structure, bursting with soft red fruits and further leathery spice. It was truly a winner, and could have easily retailed for three times the price whilst remaining good value.

It was therefore with great optimism that I approached the 2013 vintage, currently on sale on Aldi's shelves (this time adorned with an IWC award sticker). Unfortunately, whilst the vintage started promisingly with its distinctive spiced aroma, the wine did not have the same poise and balance as its older siblings: the red fruits were less apparent and unable to cope with the cherry tomato acidity running through the backbone. Overall, Aldi's 2013 offering is probably closer in true value to its price of £3.79 than its predecessors: that is to say, still a reasonable pasta wine, but not spectacular.