Aldi launches first hybrid Chardonnay-saké

UK discounter Aldi has launched a sparkling Chardonnay-saké blend, a low-alcohol tipple that it claims to be the first of its kind on the UK market.

The Sandara Chardonnay- saké, which is made by Spanish producer Vicente Gandía Grandes Vinos, is a blend of Chardonnay from Valencia and traditional rice wine from Japan, which Aldi claims taps into the growing trend for Japanese flavours in the UK.

The retailer claims it is the “perfect introductory drink for those looking to explore the Oriental, the innovative and the unusual”, which is ideally paired with Asian, or Asian-fusion food, and drunk as a light aperitif .

Clocking in with an AB of 5.5% (RRP: £2.79), the hybrid wine is also targeting the health conscious consumer as the demand for no- and low-alcohol continues to grow.

Aldi UK’s managing director of buying Julie Ashfiel described it as a trend-setting drink.

“Our wine buyers are committed to offering Aldi shoppers the very latest in wine innovation, and this Chardonnay-saké is no exception. Combining Mediterranean wine making with a Far East tradition, this trend-setting sparkling wine is the first of its kind, and we’re thrilled to be the first UK supermarket to stock this on our shelves,” she said.

The discounted first hopped onto the saké trend back in July 2017 when it launched its first premium saké, Sawanotsuru Saké which came in traditional saké presentation box, retailing for under £4. According to research by on-trade distributor Bibendum, who has stocked sakés since 2014, demand for the fermented rice ‘wine’ has grown, with the market expanding around 240% in the 10 years to 2017. There has been growth of high-end sakes in independent wine shops such as Hedonism, Bottle Apostle, and multiple specialist Majestic Wine.

Last spring the Japanese government backed a new campaign to demystify sake to the UK consumer and“transform the way it is served and enjoyed in the UK.