Table of Contents
Winking Owl Wine Reviews
Leave a review for a specific Winking Owl Wine by clicking the wine name above and leaving a review on that individual page!
Winking Owl is my choice
For the price compared to other brands Winking Owl is my choice hands down
Huge fan of the Winking Owl
Tastes great, and more impressive is the price!
Excellent!
Beyond its very reasonable price (under $3 per bottle), it does not have that annoying oak flavor that many (most?) US chardonnays possessed. I think Aldi’s aged in steel barrels, like chardonnay normally is in France and Chile. It’s MUCH better than ALL woody chardonnays. Bravo for Aldi’s Winking Owl Chardonnay!
can't beat it
excellant san gria low cal 650 a bottle
Yummy
This tastes lush, but is inexpensive! Me and my hubs are hocked. I love the chard he loves the sav. Highly recommend……👍🏻
Aldi’s Winking Owl Wine: Everything You Need To Know
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Where to buy Winking Owl wines?
Winking Owl wine is exclusively sold at Aldi stores throughout the US. It is Aldi’s brand of budget wine and is not available at Walmart or other retailers. You can order Aldi wine through Instacart in many locations if you have an Aldi near you.
Order Aldi Wine Online Through Instacart
How much is Winking Owl wine?
Prices for Winking Owl at Aldi vary across the country but Winking Owl wine is typically sold for $2.95 per 750ml bottle (standard size wine bottle).
This varies by location due to local and state laws and ranges from $2-$5 per bottle depending on sales and the store location.
If you are looking for an even better deal check out the Winking Owl 3L Boxed Wine which is equivalent to 4 regular bottles and is often priced a bit less than if you bought 4 bottles.
What is the alcohol content of Winking Owl wine?
The alcohol content of Aldi’s Winking Owl brand is going be similar to other wines of the same type. Winking Owl wine ranges from 7.5-13% and varies based on the variety.
Check the specific wine down below to see the ABV (alcohol by volume) for the wine you are interested in. The sweet wines tend to be on the lower end of the ABV range.
Who makes Winking Owl wine and where is it made?
Our favorite wine with an owl on the label is made exclusively for Aldi US in California by the E&J Gallo Winery.
You probably haven’t heard of E&J Gallo before but you have probably heard of many of their brands. They produce Barefoot, Black Box, Boone’s Farm, Arbor Mist, Apothic, and many other popular wine brands.
Winking Owl is not listed as one of their brands but most sources online seem to confirm that it is made E&J Gallo. It seems that Trader Joe’s budget wine (Charles Shaw- “two-buck chuck”) is produced by Bronco Wine Company also out of California.
What are some other wines like Winking Owl?
There are many budget wines out there but few can match the price of Winking Owl and still produce a decent wine.
A direct competitor comes from Aldi’s cousin store Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s offers a similar selection of budget wines under the Charles Shaw brand (also know as Three-Buck Chuck or Two-Buck Chuck when it was a bit cheaper).
This is probably the closest well known (and well loved) brand. They are both made in California but by two different wineries.
Some other popular budget wines that are in a similar price range like Barefoot and Black Box are made by the same winery as Winking Owl (E&J Gallo) but are generally a couple bucks more expensive. Of course we can’t forget all of Aldi’s other wine offerings that still stay firmly in the budget category (including some award winners).
Winking Owl Red Wines
Winking Owl Merlot
Alcohol content: 12% ABV – Serving Temperature: 60-65°F (15-18°C)
Merlot (California) is a classic red wine made from the merlot grape variety. Merlot wine is an easy drinking wine with strong fruit flavors perfect on it’s own or with food. This a dry wine (not sweet) but the fruitiness and soft tannins combine for a balanced red that is very versatile.
Aldi’s Merlot is a good red wine to start with if you aren’t familiar with red wines. Merlot is best served at 60-65°F (15-18°C) so throw it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving. If you don’t finish it you can put the cap/cork back and store in the fridge for 2-5 days, after that it can still be used in a marinade or braise.
Winking Owl Merlot – Instacart
Winking Owl Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol content: 12% ABV – Serving Temperature: 60-65°F (15-18°C)
Cabernet Sauvignon (California) is Aldi’s budget version of one of the world’s most popular red wines. Cabernet is a rich, dry red wine that tends to have more tannic qualities and less fruitiness than merlot. Both merlot and cabernet sauvignon are dry wines but merlot will usually drink a little sweeter due to the fruitiness.
Cabernet will still have notes of dark fruit and berries and is often aged on oak to give it a bit more flavor. This is a classic pairing with steak and other rich beef dishes. Since is best served a bit below room temperature at 60-65°F (15-18°C) throw it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Winking Owl Sangria
Alcohol content: 10% ABV – Serving Temperature: 40-45°F (4-7°C)
Sangria is a red blend that is perfect for drinking on its own or with added fruit like sliced oranges (I like Cara Cara oranges) or other citrus along with some red fruits or berries.
You can play around with the fruit you add and sangria often has some hard alcohol like brandy added in to give it a little extra kick. You can make sangria with other wines and it is traditionally made with a dry Spanish wine (Garnacha aka Grenache) and could also use pinot noir.
The main thing you are looking for in a red wine for sangria is a lot of fruity flavors and low tannins. After mixing your fruits in chill the wine in the fridge for 2-8 hours and let the flavors blend.
Winking Owl Shiraz
Alcohol content: 12% ABV – Serving Temperature: 60-65°F (15-18°C)
Shiraz wine is also known as Syrah and there is not a clear cut difference between the two names/styles as they come from the same grape.
Typically a wine maker calls it Shiraz if comes from a warmer climate which will give it a more fruit-forward and lush flavor. Syrah typically comes from a cooler region and is more acidic and savory. Reviewers like Aldi’s Shiraz because of it’s cheap price and drinkability.
Most reviewers were surprised at how good it is for the price but it is probably not going to compete well with high priced versions but at about half the price of even Yellow Tail Shiraz it is worth a try. Throw it in the fridge for 15 minutes before serving it at 60-65°F (15-18°C).
Winking Owl Sweet Red
Alcohol content: 8% ABV – Serving Temperature: 50-60F (10-16°C)
Aldi’s Sweet Red wine is their desert red wine option perfect to pair with some nice chocolate or even to balance out a spicy meal.
When talking about wine sweet is the opposite of dry, as wine is made the sugar in grapes is converted to alcohol. When all, or most, of the sugar is converted to alcohol the wine would be considered dry.
In a sweet wine this process is ended earlier leaving more sugar in the final product. Sweet wines tend to be a bit smoother and more juicy. If you generally don’t care for red wines that have bold flavors or feel astringent (give you a dry mouth) a sweeter wine can be a good option.
Serve this sweet red a bit cooler than the others by popping it in the fridge for 30 minutes to get it to 50-60 °F (10-16°C).
Winking Owl Red Blend (Box)
Alcohol content: 11.5% ABV – Serving Temperature: 60-65°F (15-18°C)
Aldi’s Red Blend boxed wine is is a versatile red wine that is smooth and easy to drink. It is not complex but it is a great wine to keep around or to cook with.
This is an great affordable wine that nobody is going to complain about. Keep it around as your table wine or grab a box for when guests are coming over.
The great thing about boxed wine is it will last a while after it is open as the bag inside the box doesn’t allow oxygen in to spoil the taste of wine. Some people recommend refrigerating boxed wine after opening others say it is fine stored at room temp. While you want to use an open bottle of wine 2-4 days after opening, boxed wine can last as long as 6 weeks.
Check out All Aldi Red Wines Here
Winking Owl White Wine
Winking Owl Chardonnay
Alcohol content: 12% ABV – Serving Temperature: 50°F (10°C)
Chardonnay is the most popular white wine and the chardonnay grape is one of the most commonly grown wine grapes in the world. Reviewers say it has strong notes of citrus and apple with oak and vanilla.
It is an easy drinking wine and on the sweeter side for a chardonnay. Chardonnay should be served chilled to about 50°F (10°C) so it is best to put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Winking Owl Moscato
Alcohol content: 8% ABV – Serving Temperature: 45-50°F (7-10°C)
Moscato is a sweet white wine often considered a desert wine. Aldi’s Moscato is a sweet and fruity wine with a bit more alcohol than Moscato wines from other brands.
A typical Moscato is 5-7% alcohol while Aldi’s desert wine is 8%. If you prefer your wine on the sweeter side this Moscato is a great one to try, it is light and fruity without being overly sweet. Serve this Winking Owl desert wine at 45-50°F (7-10°C), or chilled for 30-40 minutes in the fridge before serving.
Winking Owl Pinot Grigio
Alcohol content: 11.5% ABV – Serving Temperature: 45-50°F (7-10°C)
Pinot Grigio (also known as Pinot Gris) is a dry (not sweet) white wine is refreshing acidity and flavors of citrus, pineapple and apple. Aldi’s pinot grigio is a simple refreshing wine perfect served chilled on a summer day.
The acidity and fruit notes will pair well with seafood or rich cream or butter based pasta sauces. A light acidic wine like this is best served at 45-50°F (7-10°C) which means you want to chill it for 30-40 minutes in the fridge before drinking.
Winking Owl Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol content: 13% ABV – Serving Temperature: 45-50°F (7-10°C)
Sauvignon Blanc is a dry and acidic white wine with light flavors of apple and citrus. This is a refreshing wine on a summer evening and pairs well with seafood, chicken, and vegetable dishes.
Reviews generally say this Winking Owl Wine is not very complex but is smooth and drinkable which is not always the case in a wine in this price range.
Winking Owl White Blend (3L Box)
Alcohol content: 10.5% ABV – Serving Temperature: 40-45°F (4-7°C)
White wine blend is not a very helpful name as it doesn’t specify a specific style but just means that multiple types for grapes were blended together to make the wine.
Blends sometimes fit into a style or category and use that name like White Bordeaux, but this is a standard white blend. These type of wines are often used as a table wine or in cooking. This white blend is sweet and not particularly complex or flavorful. This wine is probably better stored in the fridge and served chilled.
Winking Owl Rose Wine
Winking Owl White Zinfandel
Alcohol content: 7.5% ABV – Serving Temperature: 35-45°F (2-7°C)
This white zinfandel is Aldi’s sole rose wine in the Winking Owl brand. It is a sweet wine but balanced by tartness and notes of watermelon, strawberry, and other red fruit.
A sweet (and cheap) rose wine like this is probably going to taste better well chilled so leave it in the fridge for 90+ minutes before serving.
Final Thoughts on Aldi’s Budget Wine Brand
Winking Owl Wine is a great wine for the price and consistently punches above it’s weight. Is it going to be as good as a good $25 bottle? Probably not but most of us can buy this for about three bucks and it is going to be a good everyday wine that competes with the $8-$15 bottles out there.
I personally keep a few bottles of Winking Owl around as a nice everyday wine for drinking and cooking with.
View all these wines at Aldi.us
