Wind Song Chardonnay 2018 ALDI
The Story
The Wind Song Chardonnay 2018 ALDI is a $7.99 Aldi exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Margaret River district of Western Australia. Most Australian wines in the under twenty dollar price range come from South Australia or Southeast Australia. Margaret River is on the other side of the country, near the city of Perth and has a very different climate from the rest of the Australian grape growing areas.
Margaret River is a cooler grape growing area with some of the lowest rainfall totals in Australia, cool and dry is exactly what grapes need. The wineries around here tend to be low production and boutique. They are getting a reputation in high-end wine circles for Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion blends (Bordeaux White style) and Chardonnay. Not the region that you would typically find producing $7.99 grocery store brand wines.
The statistic I read in several publications is Margaret River produces 2% or 3% of Australian wine production, but 20% of its high-end wines. So in its own way this Western Australian Chardonnay is an anomaly in the same way the occasional twelve dollars Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is when featured at Trader Joe’s or Costco.
Aldi does not give tasting or technical notes for its wines, but since the climate is more in keeping with Burgundy in France (if not necessarily the soil), this is a Chardonnay that may be produced in the French style as opposed to Eastern Australia or the familiar California Chardonnay. This is one of the things I love by the exclusive brands from the Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Costco, etc., there are wines that would not exist at this price range if not for store brands.
If the wineries here can easily sell there Chardonnay for $35 or $40 there isn’t much incentive to make one for eight bucks. That makes the Wind Song Chardonnay 2018 ALDI an interesting wine well worth trying. Is it the same as the usual more pricey wines from the region? Probably not, it may be made in a more drink-it-now style, which is fine because I am going to drink it, like right now.
But I thoroughly expect the Wind Song to be a somewhat new experience. I have tasted Western Australian wines at Trade Tastings, but never a value-priced one. I am looking forward to what the tasting experience offers. The alcohol content is 13.2%.
Wind Song Chardonnay 2018 ALDI Tasting Notes
The color is clean, clear, pale wheat yellow. The nose is not shy, there is lemon curd, green apple, melon, peach, Anjou pear, light spice, a little vanilla, coconut milk, and spring flowers. It has a great nose. The Wind Song Chardonnay is dry with a firm mouthfeel and rich flavor. It starts with a stew of grapefruit, melon, and very tart apple, followed by dried apricot pieces, and soft spice. The mid-palate shows a touch of cream, a little of that salty, cashew thing, and tangerine. There is good well-balanced acidity, you know the usual, the acidity allows the flavors to unfold and adds enough of sizzle on your palate to get you reaching for another sip. The finish is full and of reasonable length.
The Summary
- I have found in my years of writing CheapWineFinder.com that I often find very good Chardonnay, but rarely find great Chardonnay.
- The Wind Song Margaret River Chardonnay 2018 is a very good Chardonnay and you have to give it extra points for not only being valued priced but being value-priced from a region that does not do value-priced wine.
- Finding greatness in sub ten dollar Chardonnay isn’t realistic, but I am very happy that very good Chardonnay is only a few dollars away.
