The Sun Made a Rare Appearance in Ireland - Here's What You Should Drink When it Returns. Aldi Spring/Summer Collection

Cossie livs babes, it’s affecting us all. Apologies dear reader, you must not be up to date on the Tiktok slang, unlike me, you’re resident hip and happening Millennial. What on earth is cossie livs? Well, it’s “cost of living” crisis, of course. And it’s seriously impacting us regular folk who are just trying to live our lives and enjoy a few luxuries now and then. Luxuries like a nice meal out now and again, your weekly coffee from the local café or a nice bottle of wine to enjoy at the weekend. Everything is more expensive, from the basics to the big items, and our beloved wine is no exception. It’s to be expected, with the cost of raw materials on the rise, energy prices creeping up and the million other things along the chain of production that are needed to make that bottle of Sauvy B that’s chilling in your fridge.

So what now? Should we give up the weekly wine and save our pennies? Turns out, we can have decent wine and not fork out a small fortune. Supermarkets, good ones I should add, have seen how consumers are gaining more wine knowledge and a fair chunk of them aren’t satisfied with the run-of-the-mill options that once adorned the shelves. They want value for money and are happy to tantalise their tastebuds with new regions, grapes and styles.

A number of retailers are seeking to bring wines to their consumers with Aldi launching its ‘Unearthed’ range. Speaking to The Drink Business Aldi UK wine buyer Josh Heley described the range as “interesting and exciting wines, that are different”. Touching on the current price sensitivity among consumers he commented “The cost of living shouldn’t mean that shippers turn to boring wines, so we have continued to open the world of wine to all – offering the chance to try unique varietals at the value our shoppers deserve”.

I think a good point to make, especially to any wine snobs that walk among us is that not everyone has the spending power to buy expensive wines. Not everyone lives close to a trendy wine shop with hidden gem wines, a large majority of people have modest budgets, and do their weekly shop in a chain retailer. And what’s wrong with that? My opinion is once people are drinking wine, we’re winning. Alcohol consumption is down, therefore if we can lure people into the wine world with a competitively priced bottle we can then open their eyes to the wider world of wine.

Speaking about the launch of the summer launch, Buying Director Aoife Habenicht said: “We are thrilled to launch our latest seasonal wine collection here in Ireland. It was an absolute pleasure to curate the Spring Summer wine range which represents quality and value…with some added magic for our curious wine drinkers.  Undoubtedly as the sunny weather approaches, wine lovers will reach for wines that can be enjoyed in the sunshine among friends, and we have plenty to suit the brief.

For anyone looking to try a wine from a lesser-known region I can’t recommend the Specially Selected Lebanese Red or our Greek Chardonnay enough– you won’t be disappointed. For rosé lovers, I would recommend Specially Selected Sud De France Rosé or Specially Selected Coteaux De Beziers Rosé.”

A surprise for me was the Castellore Verdicchio, €7.69, whose bottle design had me a tad judgmental (I know, I know, don’t judge a book by its cover). The wine was fresh with good acidity and gorgeous notes of almonds - delicious. Some other Italian finds include a Puglian Malvasia Nera 2022 from their Unearthed range, and a Sicilian Castellore Nero d’Avola 2022, two wines that would please any guests at your BBQ this summer. Everyone knows a Sauvy B at this stage, with our New Zealand friends making world-renowned brands. Still, Aldi’s Australian Koliburra Sauvignon Blanc makes a great alternative for die-hard New Zealand drinkers who want the same grape with a different style. Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t set my world on fire at the best of times, but I found this enjoyable.

One of my favourites of the day was the Specially Selected Ventoux Red 2022. It’s spicy with lots of ripe black fruits and a real gem for the price point of €9.99. Another enjoyable drop was the Specially Selected Coteaux de Béziers Viognier Grenache, €9.99, a Viognier-led blend that is fresh, tropical and ideal for sipping this summer. Great for drinkers who like fruit-forward whites.