Update December 18, 3.15. p.m.: The "Prosecco teabags" launched by Aldi in time for Christmas 2016 may not appear on supermarket shelves for much longer.
The supermarket's non-alcoholic Prosecco Festive Infusion Tea, priced at £1.89 for 15 bags, has proved enormously popular since it launched last month. "It has now sold out in most of our stores," Aldi has said.
However, wine producers in Italy's Veneto region, where the traditional Prosecco sparkling wine is made, have claimed the product's name is a trademark infringement. They are even threatening to begin legal proceedings to have Aldi's non-alcoholic product banned.
Stefano Zanette of the Consortium for the Protection of Prosecco told The Daily Mail: "Prosecco is a particular product made here in our region with the finest grapes and traditional skills of winemakers. We are demanding this product is banned and will look at legal action if it is not removed immediately from shops."
"We have had several similar legal battles in the past and won them. We will win this one as well if needs be," Zanette added.
Aldi have responded by pointing out that its Prosecco Festive Infusion Tea doesn't actually contain any Prosecco. "The packaging clearly states that these tea bags are an infusion consisting of a range of ingredients such as white hibiscus, apple pomace and rosehip," a spokesperson told The Daily Mail.
Until we hear more, the take-away from this story is clear: if you spot Prosecco teabags in your local Aldi, snap them up while you still can.
This story was originally published at 12.45 p.m., December 3, 2016.
As Christmas party season approaches, it gets harder and harder to avoid the dreaded December excess. Only the most angelic of us manage not to eat and drink a little too much at this time of year. Thankfully, one supermarket seems to have come up with a drink that feels festive without adding to your tally of alcohol units. Earlier this week, Aldi started selling non-alcoholic Prosecco Festive Infusion Tea priced at a pretty reasonable-sounding £1.89 for 15 bags. The teabags, which Aldi says "have an incredible Prosecco flavour," are especially guilt-free because they don't even contain any caffeine. Sadly, the Aldi website says that Prosecco Festive Infusion Tea and its sister product, Mulled Wine Festive Infusion Tea, are both "sold out online" and only available in store at the moment. Then again, there's nothing like a brisk walk to the local supermarket to shake off the last remnants of a hangover. It feels as though Christmas-themed food and drink products are getting more innovative every year. Several supermarkets are already selling Prosecco and gin and tonic-flavoured crisps and one London-based food blogger is even planning to produce a cheese advent calendar in time for the 2017 festive season. Bring it on.
As Christmas party season approaches, it gets harder and harder to avoid the dreaded December excess. Only the most angelic of us manage not to eat and drink a little too much at this time of year. Thankfully, one supermarket seems to have come up with a drink that feels festive without adding to your tally of alcohol units. Earlier this week, Aldi started selling non-alcoholic Prosecco Festive Infusion Tea priced at a pretty reasonable-sounding £1.89 for 15 bags. The teabags, which Aldi says "have an incredible Prosecco flavour," are especially guilt-free because they don't even contain any caffeine. Sadly, the Aldi website says that Prosecco Festive Infusion Tea and its sister product, Mulled Wine Festive Infusion Tea, are both "sold out online" and only available in store at the moment. Then again, there's nothing like a brisk walk to the local supermarket to shake off the last remnants of a hangover. It feels as though Christmas-themed food and drink products are getting more innovative every year. Several supermarkets are already selling Prosecco and gin and tonic-flavoured crisps and one London-based food blogger is even planning to produce a cheese advent calendar in time for the 2017 festive season. Bring it on.