Finding affordable gems in Aldi's wine aisle

The trouble is you're confronted by a sea of labels you're not familiar with, many of which are from overseas. And we all know how confusing those European wine labels can be.

It begs the question: do you take pot luck with a label you may find confusing, or do you revert to the same old wines you know from a shop up the road that are safe if uninspiring, maybe even a tad boring?

Here's a couple I've come across that, in my opinion, are punching above their weight. Hope it helps.

For those on a budget, here's one to jump on. The Bella Riva range is produced by De Bortoli who know a thing or two about making a good wine. This represents serious value indeed. It has the citrus and gently spiced pear that you would expect of fiano, but with a real generosity of mid-palate flavour. This is crazy value.

This is a blend of tempranillo and graciano from northern Spain and at this price, and, at seven years of age, it's a bit of a steal. It's screw-cap too, which is unusual with your riojas. Garnet coloured and brimful with mixed berry flavours ... strawberries through to plums and dark cherry. There's dusty, chocolate element too. Grab a steak and tuck in.

Let's not shy away from it ... check out that price again. It's Australian fruit, presumably a blend of regions as it's non-specific, but it tastes good enough without being a star. Flavours of pears, citrus and melon with a clean finish.

This is from the Barossa, and is unashamedly big and bold. It's a mesh of dark fruits - blackberry, dark plum, and chocolate, but with a sour cherry element as well. Could take six or seven years in the cellar. This is for those who like their reds with oomph - think steaks and hearty stews.

This is bang-for-your-buck material. Quite dark and powerful - typical Otago in many ways - it has flavours of dark cherry and plum. It's savoury, with a pinch of spice on the finish. Good length to the finish too.

It's from the Provence region, and is bone dry. Interesting colour - yellowy salmon - and is light and zippy, with wild red fruit flavours. The finish is quite tangy, not for those who like sugar sweetness in their rose. For me, it's a good food wine when you're having a nibble ... parma ham or even sushi.

Capital Wines makes serious wines, but with a light-hearted look at life in the Canberra - hence the often political names. This only gets 4 per cent viognier, but it's enough to bring an aromatic lift and a velvety texture to the wine. There's black cherry, blueberry, violets and dark chocolate in a medium-bodied frame with a herbal finish.

From Bethany - formerly Bethanian - which is the oldest settlement in the Barossa, settled by German immigrants in the 1840s. It has an earthy bouquet of red fruits and violets, and a plush, silky mouthfeel. Red berry and blackberry flavours shine through, along with sour cherry and cocoa. Acidity is bright and lingering ... this one will cellar well.

Silkman sits in prime cool-climate wine country in Pemberton, in the Great Southern wine region of Western Australia. This isn't a wine that will knock your socks off, but it's rock solid all the same, easy drinking and, at this price, excellent value. Passionfruit and white peach, a herbal, minty character, and refreshing acidity to finish.