5 days ago
I visited Lidl's epic Spanish wineries - here's what goes into your €8.99 bottle
There's a moment, standing among the dusty vines of Spain's Rioja region, when I realised the €8.99 bottle of wine I put in my trolley back home has already lived a far more interesting life than I have. From here, it will travel hundreds of kilometres, pass through countless expert hands and be scrutinised at every stage before it lands on the shelf. Lidl sells millions of them every year - three million from one supplier alone - but behind each one is a story of weather, wood and a surprising amount of quality control.
I was there to follow the story from grape to glass, joining the Lidl Ireland team through La Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Over four days we visited three of their key wine suppliers - each with its own history, quirks and fiercely guarded traditions. We also had Lidl's Master of Wine Richard Bampfield on hand to offer tasting notes, opinions and, at one point, a suggestion to serve rose with frozen strawberries.
Our first stop was Bodegas Isidro Milagro in Alfaro, La Rioja - one of Spain's top 10 wineries, producing over 40 million litres of wine a year. This family-run operation sends around three million bottles a year to Lidl, including customer favourites like Cepa Lebrel Rioja Crianza (€8.29) and Cepa Lebrel Reserva Rioja (€8.99). Bodegas Isidro Milagro in Alfaro, La Rioja
Here, winemaking follows the strict "rules of Rioja", from the grape varieties allowed, to the exact time a wine must spend ageing before it can wear one of those little coloured Rioja labels you see on the back of the bottle. Green, red, purple or dark blue - they're easy to miss, but they tell you a lot about what's inside. The vineyard at Bodegas Isidro Milagro in Alfaro, La Rioja
Joven (young) wines spend little or no time in oak, keeping them bright and fruit-driven. Crianza wines age for at least two years, with a minimum of one in oak, adding gentle spice and structure. Reserva wines are matured for at least three years, with one in oak, developing deeper, more complex flavours that can stand up to rich dishes. And at the top, Gran Reserva wines are aged for at least five years, two in oak, resulting in layered, elegant bottles made for slow, indulgent sipping. Tasting session at Bodegas Isidro Milagro
At Isidro Milagro, that ageing is split evenly between French and American oak barrels - French bringing subtle, spicy notes and American adding sweeter vanilla tones. It's a balance that Irish drinkers, who tend to favour fruitier styles, love. Lidl's team sometimes turns up for unannounced visits, but the winery takes it in its stride. "We're a working winery - it doesn't matter", a manager told me with a grin. Vineyard tour at Bodegas Isidro Milagro in Alfaro, La Rioja - one of Spain's top 10 wineries
Later that day, we headed to Bodega Garcia Carrion in Labastida, Rioja Alavesa - a fifth-generation family-owned business that works closely with 40,000 farmers on long-term contracts. They're one of the biggest players in a region that boasts 6,000 wineries, and their Antano Rioja Crianza (€8.49) is one of Lidl's best sellers. Bodega Garcia Carrion in Labastida, Rioja Alavesa - their Antano Rioja Crianza (€8.49) is one of Lidl's best sellers Admiring the stunning views at Bodega Garcia Carrion
They said September to November is the best time to see the winery in full swing. Even outside that window, quality control is relentless. Every bottle is photographed during production, and if a label is even slightly crooked, the entire bottle is rejected. The attention to detail is meticulous, but it's how they keep quality consistent across the millions of bottles they produce each year. Touring Bodega Garcia Carrion in Labastida, Rioja Alavesa Touring Bodega Garcia Carrion in Labastida, Rioja Alavesa
The next morning, we crossed from Rioja into Ribera del Duero to visit Bodega Felix Solis, one of the largest family-owned wineries in Spain. Built in 2002, its modern Pagos del Rey facility partners with 450 family vineyards. We crossed from Rioja into Ribera del Duero to visit Bodega Felix Solis
The cellar here feels more like a chapel. Barrels are stored horizontally to keep corks wet, while classical music drifts through the air - the wines "rest" to the sound of opera. There's even a statue of Ariadne, a figure from Greek mythology, watching over the rows of oak.
Felix Solis produces some of Lidl's most highly rated wines, including the 93-point Hachon Ribera del Duero Crianza (€10.99). That score comes from Richard Bampfield himself - a Master of Wine, one of the wine world's most prestigious titles - who tastes and grades every Lidl Wine Cellar bottle alongside two fellow Masters. They use the internationally recognised 100-point system. Anything over 90 is considered outstanding for its category, which is how a €10.99 bottle can genuinely hold its own against wines several times the price. Bodega Felix Solis produces some of Lidl's most highly rated wines, including the 93-point Hachon Ribera del Duero Crianza (€10.99).
If you imagine Lidl's wine buying process as a boardroom full of tasting glasses, you wouldn't be wrong - but Richard admits he prefers not to meet suppliers first. "I'd rather judge it for myself", he told me.
For the average Lidl customer, technical talk about tannins or malolactic fermentation isn't the point. These wines are chosen because they're versatile - as happy beside a steak as they are with Friday-night pizza. Fruity styles often win out, and Lidl's competitively priced Reserva offers great quality without the premium price tag, making it an excellent choice for savvy shoppers. Enjoying a curated wine tasting with Richard Bampfield at Castilla Termal Monasterio de Valbuena hotel
Rioja is famous for its reds, but Lidl also sources great-value Navarra rose. Richard says it's underrated, and not just for its flavour. "One of the reasons rose is so popular is it looks good in the glass", he smiled. Try Hacienda Uvanis Garnacha (€8.99) with one ice cube or a few frozen strawberries
His summer serving trick? A glass of Quarzose Tempranillo Garnacha (€8.99) or Hacienda Uvanis Garnacha (€8.99) with one ice cube or a few frozen strawberries bobbing about. Quarzose Tempranillo Garnacha costs €8.99 in Lidl
Ireland may not be known for our vineyards (our soggy summers see to that), but we're fiercely loyal to Spanish wines. Lidl's success here is built on finding wines that over-deliver for their price, whether that's a €8.99 Rioja or a €10.99 Ribera del Duero.
Behind every bottle are hundreds of decisions: where to source the grapes, how long to age the wine and whether to use French or American oak - which, by the way, can cost between €400 and €1,000 per barrel! The incredible Hotel Marques de Riscal hotel, which combines the most deeply rooted winemaking tradition with an avant-garde design, luxury and the most advanced technology of the 21st century.
For all the stainless steel tanks and automated bottling lines, this is still a people-driven industry. Lidl works with multi-generational winemaking families, some stretching back five generations. In Rioja alone, tens of thousands of farmers, vineyard workers and cellar hands keep the tradition alive. They're the ones walking the vineyards in late summer and tasting grapes to decide the perfect harvest day. The ones keeping watch over barrels as they mature. And the ones making sure that, if a bottle isn't perfect - even down to an off-centre label - it never leaves the winery. Richard Bampfield is a Master of Wine who tastes and grades every Lidl Wine Cellar bottle
By the end of the trip, I'd walked among centuries-old vines, tasted more wines than I could count and learned that an €8.99 bottle doesn't mean cutting corners. It means smart buying, a respect for tradition and an innovative approach that sets Lidl apart. The legendary vineyards in Spain's Rioja region
So the next time you reach for that bottle of Rioja or Rose in your local Lidl, you'll know it's travelled from a sun-baked vineyard in Spain, aged in barrels that cost more than your TV and passed through more hands (and tasting glasses) than you might expect. And if you're feeling fancy? Add those frozen strawberries - Richard would approve.
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