Save hundreds by swapping the restaurant wine list for ALDI’s shelves, with Tom Doorley selecting five bottles that rival wines costing double, triple or more when dining out.

With the cost of a night out creeping even higher, Ireland’s longest-serving restaurant critic and wine writer, Tom Doorley, has selected five wines that prove a special bottle at home doesn’t need to come with a hefty price tag. From Champagne to Grand Cru Bordeaux, Tom has chosen wines that Irish drinkers reach for most when eating out – and show just how much can be saved by pouring them at home instead.

Topping the list is the ‘World’s Best Champagne’, the Veuve Monsigny Champagne €22.99, which was awarded top honours at the 2025 World Champagne Awards, standing in for the glass of Champagne that typically costs €20 to €25 in a restaurant. Tom said: “If you’re eating at home, and having a bit of a treat, you can buy a whole bottle of Veuve Monsigny Champagne for only €22.99, so that works out at €4.60 for a generous 150ml glass, and many restaurants pour a measly 125ml. As for bottle prices, you’re looking at €95 to €150 for an average Champagne, up to €400 for the really big names. So, Veuve Monsigny is a no-brainer.”  He described it as having very fine bubbles, with aromas of apple, citrus, warm bread and a touch of vanilla – rich, dry and crisp.

For white wine drinkers, Tom points to two firm restaurant favourites. Freeman’s Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc €10.49 awarded bronze at the 2025 IQFDAs, is, he says, a match for Kiwi Sauvignons that cost well over €50 on a restaurant wine list, offering lively, zesty notes of gooseberry, passionfruit and green pepper with a crisp, dry finish. Meanwhile the Specially Selected Rías Baixas Albariño €10.99 stands in for a wine that typically costs €45 to €55 when eating out, delivering crisp, bone-dry lime and grapefruit zest, juicy peach and a slightly salty kick on the finish.

On the red side, Tom has chosen two wines popular in restaurants that carry a significantly smaller price tag at ALDI. The award-winning Specially Selected Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore €10.99, awarded Silver at the 2025 IQFDAs, compares to a style he reckons averages €55 on wine lists, offering gloriously ripe black cherries, round and silky with plenty of freshness for balance. Rounding off the list is Château Billeron-Bouquey Saint-Émilion Grand Cru €14.99, standing in for a wine that’s hard to find under €65 in a restaurant, with ripe plums and bramble fruit, lush, supple tannins, a whisper of oak and impressive length.

Tom said: “These are the wines Irish people are most likely to order when they’re eating out, whether that’s a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, an Albariño with fish, a Ripasso with dinner, or Champagne and a Grand Cru Saint Émilion for something special. Pouring them at home instead means the same quality experience, without paying restaurant mark-up.”

For Tom, the appeal goes beyond the price tag alone. “It’s not about trading down,” he said. “Every one of these wines would hold its own on any serious wine list. The only difference is what you pay to enjoy them. A night in with a bottle like the Saint-Émilion or the Veuve Monsigny can feel every bit as special as a night out – you’re just not paying for the table, the tablecloth or the mark-up.”

ALDI’s five picks offer an easy way to bring restaurant-calibre wine to the table at home, whether that’s a quiet night in, a dinner party or a gift for someone who knows their wine. All five wines are available in ALDI stores nationwide.

See below a selection of Tom Doorley’s top wine recommendations, available in ALDI stores nationwide:

  • Freeman’s Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc €10.49 (75cl) 12.5% ABV – Bronze, IQFDA 2025
  • Specially Selected Rías Baixas Albariño €10.99 (75cl) 12.5% ABV
  • Specially Selected Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore €10.99 (75cl) 12.5% ABV – Silver, IQFDA 2025
  • Château Billeron-Bouquey Saint-Émilion Grand Cru €14.99 (75cl) 13.5% ABV
  • Veuve Monsigny Champagne €22.99 (75cl) 12.5% ABV – Winner, World’s Best Champagne 2025; Silver, IQFDA 2025; Gold, IQFDA 2024