There’s quite a bit of new info to share about the latest vintage of the Kirkland Russian River Pinot, and it’s all positive.
First off is the new label which surprised us; seems like they’ve tried quite a few different looks to this bottle over the years. We like it, and you can see how it different it is from the last bottle we reviewed (2019 vintage).
More good news with the price, which is down $1 to $11.99, making this likely the lowest priced Pinot from Russian River you’ll see around.
Historically, we haven’t always been in love with Kirkland Russian River Pinot, preferring the usually excellent Kirkland Carneros. But that’s about to change too.
Our ratings on the Kirkland Russian River Pinot over the years:
2014 86 points
2015 85 points
2016 87 points
2019 86 points
This new 2021 vintage is our favorite so far. It needed a little air to open up; started pretty basic but got more complex. The wine is young no doubt but didn’t taste quite as young as we expected.
It’s a pale ruby in the glass with red fruit aromas, a little oak; more red fruit in the mouth, cherry, raspberry with good depth and acidity; finishes powerful and lingers for a while.
We’re fans of this one. And if you, like us, didn’t fall in love with the Kirkland Carneros Pinot this year, the Russian River might be the way to go.
We should also mention the Kirkland Willamette Valley Pinot in this discussion. It’s in the same price range ($12.99) and really tasty if you happen to see it still lingering around stores.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 points
Costco item number: 555512
Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Cumberland)
Alc. 14.0%
Trish
Tuesday 14th of March 2023
Purchased a bottle before Christmas and am now sorry that I did not purchase a few more. We enjoyed this wine but now cannot find it in our Sarasota FL store. Any idea if this item will appear again in our area soon?
Damian
Monday 27th of February 2023
I thought the 2021 Kirkland Pinot Noir was excellent. I double decanted it a couple hrs before drinking. Complex, correct, tastes like Pinot not a GSM or coconut vanilla. Well made, I went back for more and really don’t need more wine. Five stars.
Steve
Tuesday 31st of January 2023
I just purchased and opened this tonight. I was skeptical of such a young '21 vintage but thought I would give it a try. I was right to be skeptical. No amount of air can help this wine. It is horrible. Be very afraid.
Steve
Monday 6th of February 2023
@Steve, Steve with an update. After my negative experience with the first glass I screwed the cap back on and left it on the counter for 2 days. I revisited it on the 3rd day & it was drinkable, so with enough air it is OK.
Doug
Saturday 10th of December 2022
This release has been on the shelves in my Seattle-area store for a couple of months, and I picked up two bottles to try when I first saw it. I agree that it was definitely more appealing after getting some air. As you say, it's still very young, and I thought the tannins were rather harsh. But it seems like a bottle that will only get better with time, if a guy could bring himself to leave some in the cellar for a little while. That's what I plan to do.
Tom
Saturday 10th of December 2022
I agree. Saw it last week in Myrtle Beach, bought two bottles and will be back for more. Yum!