Aldi brings back 'rich' £3.49 red wine loved by critics that sold out in four days

Aldi will be reducing the price of its viral Specially Selected Cairanne wine from £8.49 to £3.49 across its UK stores next week.

Aldi is about to bring back one of its critically acclaimed bottles of red wine just in time for Christmas - and it's on offer for under £4.

The supermarket's alcohol selection is usually a hit with experts, with many winning numerous awards. One that sold out within just four days last year was the Specially Selected Cairanne that was snapped up in record time in 2023, reports the Mirror.

Even better, this "incredible" French-Cairanne wine will be on offer for just £8.49 from £3.49 from Monday, December 2 to Sunday, December 8. This gives shoppers the chance to bag the highly sought after wine for 58 percent less ahead of the festive season.

The wine is a blend of 60 percent Grenache, 25 percent Syrah, 10 percent Mourvèdre, and 5 percent Carignan. With a 14 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), it is described as a "rich and layered red" featuring aromas of forest fruits, plums, black cherry, and damsons, topped off with a "decadent mocha and spice finish."

Last year, Aldi offered the same discount when the wine was priced at £8.99, providing a 61 percent discount. The promotion proved so popular that Aldi had to limit purchases to two bottles per customer, and even then, the wine sold out nationwide in just four days.

This followed praise from wine expert Jane MacQuitty of The Times, who called the wine a "present to the nation", leading many enthusiasts to eagerly anticipate its return.

An Aldi insider previously revealed to the Grocer Magazine that the supermarket was actually "losing money" on the deal due to VAT and other taxes. VAT accounted for around 58p of each bottle sold, while Alcohol Duty added £2.23 or £2.67 per bottle, depending on whether it was purchased before or after the duty hike in August 2023.

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This meant Aldi was left with just 68p or 24p per bottle before covering its own costs. The insider noted that selling the wine at £3.49 was an unusually sharp promotion, saying: "Anything under £5 is a very sharp promotion, for Aldi to be all the way down at £3.49 feels out of kilter with what's needed to drive a profitable category."

As for the wine's quality, Mirror Money editor Levi Winchester reviewed it last year, describing the aroma as "overwhelmingly that of red fruits".

She found the taste to be smooth and sweet, with a clear flavour of red fruits, and noted that it avoided the vinegary taste often associated with cheap red wines.

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