The Kirkland Chateauneuf might be the wine I look forward to the most every year at Costco. It's not because it's typically the best wine. In fact, last year was a bit of a bust.
The reason I look forward to tasting these wines is because I think it's awesome that Kirkland offers a wine like this (same can be said for the Brunello and Pauillac Bordeaux).
They just seem so nichy compared to the sea of Napa Cabs. But people love them. I do. And I think it's awesome that Costco brings us these wines at such phenomenal prices.
The Chateauneuf for instance is only $19.99. When we review a wine like this at such a favorable price point, it's hard to criticize too much (last year was an exception).
So let's move on and see what we have this year. I've tasted it right out of the bottle and after an hour decant to give it every shot possible. And I think it's ok this year, maybe a slight step up from last year, but again, not a 90 pointer in my book. It's thin, kind of like a Chateauneuf light if you will. Maybe like a very good Cotes du Rhone Villages bottle.
The nose changed on me a bit, first a little earth and spice but then after a bit I got loads of fruit punch. The wine is light in color and medium bodied; flavors are predominantly red fruit, cherry, a bit more of that fruit punch, with a slight pepper toward the finish. It wraps up a little quick. Not a whole lot more note-wise to say on this one. It's pretty mediocre, rather simple.
Let's take a quick look at the ratings we've given different vintages of the KS Chateauneuf in the past:
2014 88 Points
2013 93 Points
2012 91 points
2011 92 points
2010 91 points
2009 91 points
2008 90 points
I wish I had a few of these older vintages in the cellar to taste now. The bottom row of my EuroCave is dedicated to random Costco bottles I wanted to age, so I'll have to start cracking those open and post some reviews soon.
But back to this wine. I'll bump it up one point to 89 for this vintage. It's an ok buy this year, but if you want a rich and complex Chateauneuf, you're going to have to look further upstream. I'll probably buy one more of these this year to store away but that will be about it.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 points
Costco item number: 777662
Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)
Alc. 14.5%
Josh says
My second bottle of this was *far* better than my first. As they say, "wine is a funny thing."
Now it's sold out in my Costco, so kind of moot...