This month sees the opening of Aldi’s 500th store in the UK. That’s right, 500. Hardly surprising with 32 per cent growth in the past year. The German discounter has been one of the main beneficiaries of the recession and not just for food but for wine too. You may not impress your dinner party guests with an Aldi own-label wine , but you almost might with Aldi’s extravagantly entitled Exquisite Collection wines. Exquisite may be overegging the pud, but if Tesco can go Finest and Asda Extra Special, why shouldn’t Aldi indulge in a little bit of poetic licence?

While we’re the first to highlight what the independent wine merchants are doing in bringing quality and character to wine, I also feel that we should give credit where credit’s due, as it were, and not be too sniffy. You may find it a bit strange that at the most recent Aldi autumn / winter wine tasting, one journalist asked what promotions Aldi does on its wines because Aldi’s everyday low prices are about as low as you can go without hitting your head, bearing in mind duty, VAT and operating margin. Buying wine to a price and selling at a price is a delicate balancing act at this level and Aldi’s wine buyer Mike James, in my view, gets it right.

Where would Aldi be without the New World? Certainly not where it is today because much of the value element of the core range originates in the southern hemisphere. If you’re a fan of New Zealand sauvignon blanc, the 2013 Freeman’s May New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is pungently herbal and elderfloral with plenty of the requisite juicy gooseberry fruit qualities and the 2013 Exquisite Collection Limestone Coast Chardonnay, £5.99, opulently peachy with some underlying fresh pear notes. But the pick of the crop is the new 2012 Exquisite Cllection Limoux Chardonnay, £6.99, a belter of a complex Burgundian style dry white with suitably nutty aftertaste from Jean-Claude Mas.

Monday saw the arrival of a vivid blackberryish French malbec in the shape of the Vignobles Rousselet Malbec, £4.49, a touch of merlot bringing suppleness to the bright primary fruit quality while Argentina’s 2012 Exquisite Collection Uco Valley Malbec, £5.99, just about shades the French version for its ripe succulently textured juicy blackberry fruit quality. Also in on Monday, don’t overlook the 2009 Exquisite Collection Chianti Classico Riserva, £8.99, because this really does embody the herb and sour cherry flavours of the sangiovese grape that you’re hoping for from Tuscany. Ditto the 2012 Exquisite Collection Gigondas, £9.99, all deep-hued, spice and peppery voluptuous dark berry fruits.

I could go on but the next important dates to remember are 3 and 24 November because that’s when some of the most exciting, yes exciting wines, are due on shelf. It would be unfair to tantalise you with the specifics, but suffice it to say I have every intention of returning to the subject so that you can pick up on the best half dozen of these. Before heading down that route, I should at least issue a reminder to anyone who hasn’t experienced the delights of the crisp dry 2011 Philippe Michel Crémant du Jura, £6.99, or the toasty, creamy Champagne Veuve Monsigny, £12.99, that these are among the best value fizzes on any high street.

Something for the Weekend

Something for the Weekend Saturday 12 October

Night in

2012 Portillo Malbec.

This commercial label from Salentein in Argentina’s Uco Valley is indeed excellent value malbec, showing typical black fruits aromas and a juicy blackberry fruit moreishness for washing down pesto-sauced pasta and mushroom risotto. £9.99, buy 2 = £6.99, until 14 October, Majestic.

Dinner Party

2010 Castello della Paneretta Chianti Classico Riserva

This is the real Tuscan deal, with a fragrance of subtle oak-smoky and fennel-like notes and classically juicy-textured sweet and sour cherryish juiciness suavely rounded out by oak and topped off with mouthwatering freshness. 13.99, Marks & Spencer.

Splash Out

2011 McHenry Hohnen Calgardup Chardonnay, Margaret River

Wholemeal and cashew nut notes in the aroma lead into a glassful of richly textured Western Australian chardonnay with exuberantly peachy fruit quality restrained by an underlying nuttiness and savoury finish. Around £16.75, Whole Foods, Oz Wines, Winedirect.co.uk.