Wine Note – 2026 De Bortoli The Astronomer Viognier
2026 De Bortoli The Astronomer Viognier (Aldi £7.99)
Forty years ago, there were just 32 hectares of Viognier in the world and the Rhône Valley had them all. The vineyards on the steep slopes there are so difficult to maintain that the variety nearly died out. But the wine’s inviting aroma of peaches and apricots encouraged growers to persist and today Viognier is grown in many countries.
This example is young, six months old, and has only 12% alcohol. Early picking and short bottle age help to preserve the rather low acidity it possesses.
‘The Astronomer’, from Australia, has the requisite apricot nose, full body and plenty of freshness. Add a beautifully printed label and you’ve got another good deal from Aldi.
The De Bortoli family came from Italy to New South Wales and started making wine in 1928.
Whites and reds are all good but seek out their greatest products – sweet wines. ‘The Noble One’ is world famous but you can find their botrytis semillon in half bottles in several supermarkets under various brand names; look for ‘De Bortoli’ on the back label. They can often be found on offer for a fiver. An even bigger bargain than the Viognier.
Good on ya, De Bortoli and Aldi.
John Freeland
u3a Wine Tasting Group
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