What Brand Makes Aldi's Winking Owl Wines?

If you've ever been to an Aldi supermarket, you may have noticed its hefty selection of affordable bottles of red, white, and rosé wines — most of which are under $5. And similar to other affordability-focused retailers, like Costco and Trader Joe's, Aldi has its own exclusive in-house brand that is known as Winking Owl wines. While this wine is a household name, the brand that makes this deliciously accessible Chardonnay is the E&J Gallo Winery. Based out of Modesto, California, E&J Gallo Winery is actually a global wine producer that works with over 3,000 suppliers to meet demands.

With over 90 wine and spirits brands to its name, E&J Gallo Winery also makes other affordable wines, including Andre, Barefoot, Manischewitz, and Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon. As a family-owned company, it prides itself on quality wine-making, along with a strong expertise in marketing, sales, and distribution — all factors that help make the Winking Owl portfolio so inexpensive.

Brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo launched their first winery, which would become the international wine and spirits business it is today, back in 1933. As "one of the largest family-owned wineries" in the world, according to Forbes, Gallo promotes its values of quality products, stand-out customer service, and a commitment to land conservation. This is especially important considering the increase in awareness of sustainable wines. 

Though the brothers started off in Modesto, California, Gallo now has several wineries across California, New York and Washington. Gallo is able to produce quality brands, like Winking Owl wines, at a low price, perhaps due to its wide-ranging reach. The winery works with retailers like Aldi to produce wines and wine blends — like the Winking Owl merlot — with flavor profiles of cherries and berries.

Though you can find Gallo's range of wines sold throughout over 100 countries, Aldi has certainly found a way to make drinking the bottles of wine easy and even offers a 3-liter boxed white blend. The back label of each bottle of Winking Owl contains a key, referencing wine-tasting notes and food pairing complements, further making the wine selection experience extremely accessible to anyone walking down their aisles.

If you find the array of the best summer rosés and exciting California chardonnays on most store shelves intimidating, Aldi's in-store wine brand makes beverage choices extremely easy. While you can certainly enjoy a glass of pinot grigio chilled on its own, it's clear that these wines will not be as nuanced in flavor as more expensive varieties that can be found at your local specialty wine shop.

But don't let that deter you. Winking Owl merlot is great when poured into a large carafe to make a refreshing summer sangria, stirred up with orange and pineapple juices, along with your favorite spirits and fresh citrus slices. You can also store its chardonnay in the fridge to have on hand as a cooking wine for various occasions, like when making homemade linguine and clams — just add ¼ cup of wine when cooking the sauce. Or pour your favorite wine variety into cake batter to make slightly boozy cakes.

If you're a lover of a good deal, Aldi's Winking Owl wines are a great option that certainly stacks up to the signature affordable bottles of wine sold at Trader Joe's. E & J Gallo Winery, with its expansive offerings, is certainly a brand that Aldi has partnered with to offer competitive wine prices.