I kept this wine on my rack for a couple of weeks before finally opening it. When I first poured it into my decanter, it appeared lighter than I had expected. This wine is a unique blend of 30% Petit Verdot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 20% Malbec, 3% Syrah and 2% Petit Sirah. It needed a little bit of time to breathe, but once it opened up, was quite enjoyable.
On the nose I got strawberry jam, vanilla and coconut. The wine was smooth and polished on the palate with rhubarb, dark berries, and a lingering hint of hazelnut. Juicy and slightly sweet, the wine tastes young and is not very complex. I really enjoyed drinking this.
This is the first vintage of Forward Kidd, according to the website, and the name is derived from two of the soil types in which the grapes from this wine are grown: Forward Gravelly Loam & Kidd Loam, among others. The wine was aged for two years in French Oak, 35% of which was new.
I have seen this wine at two of the Costcos that I frequent for $34.79/btl. Vivino users give it an average price of $40.58 (and a healthy 4.3 out of 5 rating), and the wine is currently offered through the winery’s website for $50/btl. plus shipping (shipping is included, however, on all orders over $500).
If this wine were $25 per bottle, I would buy a case. At $35 each I will probably buy one more. It was such a pleasure to drink, and I think it would be a crowd pleaser in that a broad range of wine drinkers would enjoy it. I am confident to recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting and less dry red blend.
While Wine Spectator gives Forward Kidd a mediocre score of 87, Wine Enthusiast gives it 92 points and an “Editor’s Choice” designation. I give it a 90.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 90
Costco item number: 1123921
Purchased in Atlanta, GA (Alpharetta)
ABV: 14%
