A $4.99 wonder from Aldi, we review the latest vintage of the La Cornada Crianza Tempranillo. Highly Recommended!
Tempranillo from Utiel-Requena, Valencia, Spain. The wine is aged 6 months in American oak and another 18 months in the bottle before release. (Previous iterations of this wine were from from Valdepenas in nearby Castilla La Mancha.)
The La Cornada Crianza Tempranillo is available exclusively at Aldi and sells for the ridiculously low price of $4.99. It is imported by Mack & Schuhle Inc.
From the bottle:
This Tempranillo Crianza has matured for a minimum of two years with at least six months in American oak barrels. Enjoy red cherry flavors with hints of vanilla, oak, and spice. Pair with beef, grilled lamb, or paella. Best when served at room temperature.
13% Alcohol
These are the type of finds we absolutely love. With a price so low, it almost boggles the mind. How can a wine that spends 6 months in American oak retail for only $5?? Heck, it must cost almost that much to get it here from Spain!
One reason could be the lack of name recognition of the Utiel-Requena region in Valencia, overshadowed by places like Rioja, Ribera del Duero and others. Regardless of where it came from this is incredibly solid stuff for such an unbelievably low price.
The 2018 La Cornada Crianza Tempranillo begins with pleasing aroma of black cherry plus lots of cedar and other woodsy notes.
The first thing that happens when you take a sip, is the thought, “How can this only cost $4.99??” This is a really well-made, dry wine. It’s smooth. It’s spicy. It’s balanced. It’s delicious. To be fair, it’s not very deep or complex but it is head and shoulders above anything else at this low price point.
It ends dry and very long. (Yes, really — this is a $5 wine with a very long finish.) Spice, dark fruit and other light oaky touches linger nicely. It was similar on day 2. Just as good as the last time we reviewed it, this is still Highly Recommended!
2018 La Cornada Crianza Tempranillo
Check out our Guide to Aldi Wine! Includes information about the business model, how it compares to Trader Joe’s and of course all of our recommended wine at Aldi USA!
You can also find more of our recommended Tempranillo here!
And here’s our old review of the 2016 vintage:
The 2016 La Cornada Crianza Tempranillo begins with a rather muted aroma of black cherry, a little spice and cedar. This is the least impressive part of this wine.
This is a really well-made wine. It’s smooth. It’s spicy. It’s balanced. It’s delicious. To be fair, it’s not very complex at all but it is head and shoulders above anything else at this low price point.
It ends dry and surprisingly long. Spice, dark fruit and other light oaky touches linger nicely.
2016 La Cornada Crianza Tempranillo
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