Aldi's Winking Owl wine has received mixed reviews from critics and consumers who have
found themselves unable to agree on how they feel about the wine brand.
So what exactly is the deal with this super-cheap wine?
Let's dive in to learn the truth about Winking Owl wine.
Wine lovers who haven't already tried a glass of Winking Owl may be wondering what all of
the hype is about.
Is it even possible to get a bottle of wine that's both cheap and delicious?
That's up for debate, and you'll only really know if you try it.
Even if you've never poured yourself a glass of Winking Owl, you've probably sipped one
of the brand's pretty famous cousins at some point.
Winking Owl, which is produced in California, is part of the E&J Gallo family of wines,
and although it isn't listed in their portfolio, sources confirm that Gallo does indeed make
it.
The family-owned company was founded by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo in 1933, and is a major
player in the wine game.
The winemakers behind Boone's Farm have several other well-known brands of vino in its portfolio,
including Apothic, Barefoot, and Turning Leaf.
When it comes to wine, tastes vary.
Some wine lovers enjoy sipping a sweet white, while others prefer to linger over a deep,
rich red.
But no matter what kind of wine your palate is craving, Winking Owl has you covered.
The brand makes 10 varieties of wines that range from a sweet moscato to a full-bodied
cabernet sauvignon.
Winking Owl wine is available in five varieties of red, including a medium-bodied red blend
which comes in a 3-liter box.
When you're looking for something to pair with your seafood, there are four types of
white wine on the market, including a pinot grigio which was awarded 86 points and a silver
medal by the Beverage Testing Institute in 2013.
And when you're having a picnic or backyard barbecue, there is a Winking Owl White Zinfandel
to quench your thirst.
Keep in mind that every store's inventory is different, so you may have to shop around
before you find exactly what you're looking for.
On the plus side, once you've found it, you can stock up at low prices.
Aldi is building a following as the place to get a good bottle of wine at a low price.
As an Aldi representative told Eating Well, approximately 90 percent of the store's wine
selections cost less than $10.
And of those brands, Winking Owl is one of the wines on the lower end of the price spectrum.
Prices around the country vary, but on average, a bottle of Winking Owl is priced at just
under $3, and you shouldn't see it for more than $5.
That means you can get an entire bottle of Winking Owl wine for less than the price of
a latte at your favorite coffee shop.
And let's face it, who buys just one bottle of wine?
Wine lovers looking to get their booze on a budget may be willing to overlook some of
the negative reviews Winking Owl wines have received in order to save a little money in
the long run.
And remember, just because one person doesn't like it, that doesn't mean you won't.
Grapes are the main ingredient in wine, but vegetarians and vegans still have a reason
to pay attention to how their wine is made.
During the winemaking process, animal products such as gelatin and egg whites are often added
to help speed up the process of removing all of the impurities and unwanted ingredients
that are left in the wine after fermentation.
This method of using "processing aids" helps get wine from the vineyard to your table a
lot faster than if the process was left to happen naturally.
But your wine can no longer be considered vegan if any of that animal product is left
behind.
Since winemakers won't necessarily advertise whether or not their wines are truly vegan,
vegans can take advantage of the Barnivore alcohol directory, which maintains a searchable
database of information on wine brands.
The directory lists Winking Owl as "not vegan friendly," but a representative at Winking
Owl told Barnivore,
"Treatment of wines with milk or egg products is a common wine industry practice and is
done by winemakers as needed to provide the appropriate treatment and clarity to the wine.
These milk or egg products are removed during the filtering of the wines after treatment.
In addition, we go one step further to verify that milk or egg products are not detectable
after filtration by testing each lot of wine that is treated."
Is that good enough for you, or no?
It's no secret that Aldi crushes the competition when it comes to finding a lower-priced alternative
to almost everything on your grocery list.
And although you can shop at just about any one of Aldi's more than 1600 stores across
the United States for an affordable selection of cheese, bread, and other pantry staples,
shoppers in some parts of the country are not able to take advantage of Aldi's amazing
inexpensive wine selection.
Unfortunately, in certain states including New York, Mississippi, and Arkansas, wine
can only be purchased in a liquor store.
If you're unsure about the laws for wine and liquor sales in your area, you can use their
handy store locator to see if your Aldi store has Winking Owl or other wines in stock.
If they don't, you can always search for the closest store across the state line that sells
wine and gas up your car for a Winking Owl road trip.
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