The Antoine Delaune Beaujolais Rosé 2020 is a $7.99 ALDI import exclusive. Beaujolais is a growing region in France that is located just south of Burgundy. The Champagne wine region is on the North end of Burgundy. The main grapes of Burgundy and Champagne are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; the main grape of Beaujolais is Gamay.
While Burgundy and Champagne produce mainly expensive wines, most Beaujolais wines can be found for under $25, with many in the ten-dollar plus range. Beaujolais wines are the drink-it-now wines of the region. Some top-end Beaujolais may be cellar-worthy, but most of the wine is take it home and drink. That style of wine is less expensive to produce and is, therefore, more affordable.
This ALDI’s wine is designated an AOC wine, which is the top classification in France, though there are higher rankings inside the AOC designation. There are several different rankings in Beaujolais; first, there is Beaujolais, where the grapes are taken from vineyards anywhere in the region. Then there are Beaujolais Villages, where the vineyards are located near 38 approved villages. Then there are single village wines, and the top is Cru wines. The Antoine Delaune Beaujolais Rosé 2020 is a Beaujolais wine.
Antoine Delaune is probably a brand name; ALDI often owns the copyright for the brand name of their wines. If they need to change producers, they can, and a popular store brand stays the same. ALDI has a large distribution network; they have 10,000 stores in 20 countries. Many store brands are made in small lots, but not ALDI; they sell a huge amount of wine.
Wine producers want to sell wine to ALDI. They can sell a great deal of wine at ALDI stores and not directly compete with their wine line. ALDI has a great price advantage over retail wine shops. Store brands typically pay the winery on delivery which allows them to negotiate a good deal. There are no marketing or advertising costs, which make up a large part of retail wine, and distribution costs are reduced.
It is hard to say that an ALDI wine is equal to a retail wine that sells for X amount more; there are too many variables. But a store brand does offer real price savings. We do not get much information concerning who made the wine and where exactly the grapes were grown, so there is a trade-off. There is an element of risk, but you can also get an excellent mystery wine for a great price. The alcohol content is 12.5%.
Antoine Delaune Beaujolais Rosé 2020 Tasting Notes
The color is a clean, clear, shiny apricot and pink. The nose is red berries, a juicy apple, soft vanilla, light candy spice, and a floral edge—the Antoine Delaune Beaujolais Rosé 2020 is a medium to light bodied Rosé with delicate fruit-forward flavors.
It tastes of tart cherry, a slight mineral water flavor, dried strawberry bits, and a salty sensation. The mid-palate brings a slightly hard edge from the tannins and black cherry. This wine has lip-smacking acidity; you will be reaching for another sip.
The Summary
- The Antoine Delaune Beaujolais Rosé 2020 is a tasty, delicate, and flavorful wine.
- A $7.99 wine from a discount grocery store gets you an excellent Beaujolais Rosé.
