ALDI went undercover at Sydney’s Polo in the City event on November 9, posing as fine wine merchant ‘Fin D’Itinaldi’ and secretly putting its products to the test among a crowd of wine afficionados.
Unsuspecting Polo-goers thought they were sipping on exclusive vintages from the non-existent Bargain Valley, which they guessed were worth up to $100 a bottle, they were in fact enjoying a Riesling costing just $9.99 and they could ‘FinD’-it-in-ALDI.
Attendees praised the taste of ALDI’s wine describing it as “Effervescent”, “Beautiful” and “Lovely on the palate”.
The big reveal sparked priceless reactions including “Are you serious? Amazing!” “I’m actually very surprised,” and “I don’t believe it!” with many proclaiming ALDI had gained a new customer.
Surprising new research
Fin D’Itinaldi’s appearance at the polo comes as new research commissioned by ALDI Australia reveals more than half of Aussies (52%) believe they can tell the difference between a $10 and $60 bottle of wine, with men (58%) feeling more confident than women (47%) that they can spot a low- and high-priced drop.
While one in five (20%) would happily shell out over $50 on an award-winning wine, ALDI’s multi-award-winning Freya and Jules Watervale Riesling 2024 proves top-notch quality can be enjoyed for a fifth, or even a tenth of that price, with punters at the polo willing to pay up to 10 times more after tasting the $9.99 wine from ALDI.
Australians have a few other things to learn when it comes to wine, such as how rosé is made, with almost half (49%) of Australians mistakenly thinking simply mixing red and white wine does the trick! Half of Aussies also believe white wine can only be made using white grapes (50%), and 44% incorrectly stating Australia produces Champagne.
When it comes to picking a bottle of wine, origin matters to Australians* with 50% stating the region its product influences their wine choice, proving provenance packs a punch. Although, polo punters were lead to believe that Bargain Valley was a real wine region, rather than just what shoppers call the ALDI wine section.
But for younger palates, a snazzy design is the real showstopper, with a quarter (24%) of wine buyers saying a pretty label influences their bottle of choice.
ALDI Wine Expert and Buying Director Jason Bowyer said: “We’re so proud of our wines. We know that it stands up to the most discerning of palates and Fin D’Itinaldi’s stint at the polo proves it. We surprised serious vino lovers with a selection of our award-winning ALDI bottles, and the reactions have been phenomenal, proving that an excellent drop can come at exceptional value – and you can ‘find it in ALDI’.”
For those who missed Fin D’Itinaldi’s fine wine tasting experience, the six featured bottles are available now in participating stores and range from $9.99 to $19.99.
UK wine buffs fooled
Wine buffs in the UK were fooled by a similar ALDI stunt at the Royal International Horse Show that convinced them they were sipping premium-priced wine.
A video shows a flamboyant wine merchant – known as ‘Justin Youraldi’ – pouring out glasses of red, white, and rosé to the well-heeled attendees.
While they thought they were sipping on wine the world’s most exclusive vineyards, costing nearly 10 times the price, they were in fact enjoying more modestly priced wines as low as $10.
However Justin Youraldi was serving up ALDI wines.
One surprised wine taster can be heard exclaiming in the video: “I can’t believe that! I’m staggered! I’m off to ALDI, you’ve won a customer”.
Watch the video below:
Images: Ben Stevens Photography/ALDI
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