BEER 25: KARLSKRONE PREMIUM PILSENER
Doesn't sound Belgian, doesn't particularly taste Belgian it's just a straightforward quaffing lager at a dangerous price.
CATEGORY 1
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 4.9% a/v
PRICE: 29 euro cents
FROM: Aldi, Germany
RATING: 5/5
Nicely presented dry white on the sweeter side of the spectrum. Half trocken or demi sec would describe it. Well made and could handle being served with ice.
GRAPE VARIETY: Riesling
REGION: Wurtemburg, Germany
A/V: 11.5%
PRICE: 3.79 euro
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 4/5 from me
BEER 24: STEAM BREW IMPERIAL STOUT
For starters it's packed as a mixed case with their IPA and Red beer [both listed earlier]. Guess what? They don't sell at an equal rate. Which means the retail shelves have no IPA, a bit of the Red and an overwhelming excess of this abheration.
It really is a shocker with a nasty sweet burnt treacle flavour. It just amazes me that such a clever successful retailer makes such a mistake.
CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 7.5% a/v
PRICE: 69 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 1/5
This is a delicious quality riesling in the dry style. It has appealing floral fruit balanced by crisp minerality. On Lidl shelves this is quite expensive. For what's in the bottle it's very cheap.
WACHAU RESERVE RIESLING
GRAPE VARIETY: Riesling
REGION: Austria
A/V: 13%
PRICE: 6.99 euro
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING: 5/5 from me
Different words and one year older but pretty much the same wine as the last Gruner Veltliner posted. Seems that wherever you go in this part of the world you can score an outstanding value crisp dry white.
WEIN GENUSS 1000ml GRUNER VELTLINER 2016
GRAPE VARIETY: Gruner Veltliner
A/V: 12%
PRICE: 2.99 euro
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 4.5/5 from me
Here's another example of a budget red being brought into a country that struggles to produce them. Terrific little wine that over delivers at this price and certainly won't offend anyone. Once again, it's way too young and with a screw cap could safely be stored for a few years.
If I lived in Austria or Germany I'd be buying at least 10 dozen of these each year. Storing for at least three years and enjoying them over the next five.
VIAJERO 2017 CHILE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
GRAPE VARIETY: Cabernet Sauvignon
REGION: Central Valley, Chile
A/V: 13%
PRICE: 2.49 euro
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING: 5/5 from me
Their Pinot Blanc is exciting but for us, their Pinot Gris just isn't.
GRAPE VARIETY: Pinot Gris
REGION: Baden, Germany
A/V: 12.5%
PRICE: 5.99 euro
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 3/5 from me
Six euro is nudging into premium pricing on Lidl shelves. And while I've been critical of many of Lidl's "premium" wines this is just the reverse.
We've tasted some outstanding whites during our time in Germany and this is up there. It's medium bodied with a complex fruit structure enhanced with subtle wood. I would expect to see a wine of this quality well above the 10 euro mark. Very highly recommended.
JUNGE WINZER 2017 WEISSER BURGUNDER
GRAPE VARIETY: Pinot Blanc
REGION: Baden, Germany
A/V: 12.5%
PRICE: 5.99 euro
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 5/5 from me
Germany is awash with outstanding white wine at all price points. On the red side it produces some fine Pinot Noirs at understandable premiums. But supermarkets have to look overseas to stock their shelves with reds at more daily affordable prices.
This is a very well made red from Argentina's most popular variety. It's medium weight with a pleasant balance of flavour, acid and tannin. It's way too young and would benefit from a few more years in the bottle. So let it breathe.
VILLA BONAGA 2017 MALBEC
GRAPE VARIETY: Malbec
REGION: Mendoza, Argentina
A/V: 13% a/v
PRICE: 3.49 euro
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 4.5/5 from me
We were really pleasantly surprised by this. Crisp and dry and very approachable. Would sell for three times the price in other markets.
WEINE OSTEREICH 1000ml GRUNER VELTLINER 2017
GRAPE VARIETY: Gruner Veltliner
REGION: Austria
A/V: 12%
PRICE: 2.99 euro
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING: 4.5/5 from me
This is the cloudy Naturtrub style. There are better out there but this is still very drinkable and outstanding value. Perfect if you insist on glass.
CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 5.5%
PRICE: 69 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:4/5
Yet another very quaffable lager at a crazy cheap price.
CATEGORY 1
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 5%
PRICE: 55 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:4.5/5
I may be wrong but I reckon this beauty is cheaper in Austria than its home country Germany. This is an outstanding bargain priced wheat beer. Very highly recommended if you're a fan of the style.
CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 5%
PRICE: 59 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:5/5
A clean crisp lager. Probably worth spending an extra 10c and grabbing a Stiegel
CATEGORY 1
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 5%
PRICE: 95 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:4/5
Fails in packaging design but works as a beer. No great surprise, just a very pleasant lager.
CATEGORY 1
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 5.1%
PRICE: 95 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:4/5
It's a little expensive compared to its competitors. It's also superior with a lovely steely minerality. Easy to see why this is such a big seller.
CATEGORY 1
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 5%
PRICE: 1.05 euro
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:4.5/5
Attractive, slightly off-dry white without being dazzling.
GRAPE VARIETY: Riesling
REGION: Mosel, Germany
A/V: 11.5%
PRICE: 3.99 euro
FROM: Aldi, Germany
RATING: 4/5 from me
I would hate this to be the benchmark for Austrians to judge Australian shiraz. Although anything else would be an improvement.
This is aggressively wood chip flavoured wine that has no redeeming feature other than it's drinkable, just. It was slightly better on the third day ..... just.
ROSE CREEK 2017 AUSTRALIAN SHIRAZ
GRAPE VARIETY: Shiraz
REGION: SEA, Australia
A/V: 13%
PRICE: 2.49 euro
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING: 1.5/5 from me
An enticing label masked a remarkably disappointing innocuous red wine. No tannin, little acid and uninspiring fruit.
PANNONIA 2017 CUVEE PRESTIGE
GRAPE VARIETIES: Red Blend????
REGION: Burgenland, Austria
A/V: 13%
PRICE: 3.49 euro
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING: 2/5 from me
Another nice little quaffing lager. You can buy better at the price and the same for less. Even so it's still a very worthy beer.
CATEGORY 1
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 5%
PRICE: 69 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:4/5
BEER 25: KARLSKRONE PREMIUM PILSENER
REGION: Austria
Different words and one year older but pretty much the same wine as the last Gruner Veltliner posted. Seems that wherever you go in this part of the world you can score an outstanding value crisp dry white. 
Here's another example of a budget red being brought into a country that struggles to produce them. Terrific little wine that over delivers at this price and certainly won't offend anyone. Once again, it's way too young and with a screw cap could safely be stored for a few years.
A/V: 13% 
Six euro is nudging into premium pricing on Lidl shelves. And while I've been critical of many of Lidl's "premium" wines this is just the reverse.
Germany is awash with outstanding white wine at all price points. On the red side it produces some fine Pinot Noirs at understandable premiums. But supermarkets have to look overseas to stock their shelves with reds at more daily affordable prices.
This is the cloudy Naturtrub style. There are better out there but this is still very drinkable and outstanding value. Perfect if you insist on glass.
CATEGORY 2
A clean crisp lager. Probably worth spending an extra 10c and grabbing a Stiegel
Attractive, slightly off-dry white without being dazzling.
I would hate this to be the benchmark for Austrians to judge Australian shiraz. Although anything else would be an improvement.
An enticing label masked a remarkably disappointing innocuous red wine. No tannin, little acid and uninspiring fruit.
