2011 Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva

Reviewed by Josh L

Wandering through my local Costco, I happened upon the first Kirkland-labeled Italian wine that I can recall.  Packaged in a simple and lightweight bottle, this $8.69 wine turned out to be a terrific bargain.

Pouring into our glasses, the wine color is standard Chianti Classico – dark purple with great consistency and little separation at the edges.

But like other recent/current-vintage European-sourced Kirkland wines, it takes some time to fully open up.  We found that it needed 30-40 minutes before it exhibited qualities of note, which was on par with the recently released 2013 Kirkland Signature Chateauneuf du Pape.

It is an easy to drink wine with not a lot of drama.  There are all of the classic/traditional Chianti cues here – floral, earthy and a very slight spicy tone to the nose.  The finish is pretty dry but not metallic in any way, which makes it excellent with food.  It can be enjoyed alone, but it would be a missed opportunity.

Compared to other Chiantis of similar vintage and price, the finish is that of a moderately-priced dry wine with not a lot of fruit.  It is an excellent wine to pair with pizza, pasta, and other rich dishes.

[Editor note: I’m going to jump in the conversation here because I just tried this wine as well.  I agree 100% with everything Josh said above.  This is a pretty simple Chianti, light flavor, dry finish, very agreeable with almost any situation, food or otherwise.  We enjoyed it with Italian sausage and vegetables on the grill, and it was a good complement; ok buy for only $9]. 

Rating 87 from Josh L

Costco item # 944010