This is one of the most talked bottles to hit Costco in recent memory. We had a few readers write in about it, and one (thanks CL) who shared some email comments directly from someone on the inside.
According to an email we saw, this is a wine that would normally retail for $600 and it was acquired under NDA from a "renowned high end winery," and is selling at Costco for $59.99.
Naturally, it required proper exploration. Using the Costco mobile app we were able to find it at a couple stores around the Atlanta area, and headed out quickly to buy some, assuming it would disappear once word gets out.
It's hard to tell how many bottles to buy in a case like this. On one hand, it's likely the last we'll see this bottle at this price (although no asterisk on the placard). On the other hand, we really wanted to try it first, only wishing they had samples in the store.
So we bought four, and figured it was a 2023 (great vintage) but needed some cellar time. So three bottles hit the cellar, and we cracked one to share these comments for the site.
As we get into the wine, the first thought is that we probably should have bought a few more. This is good Napa juice, very young, but really well made and checks so many boxes already in its youth.
The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, vibrant fruit on the nose with spice, leather and oak; full bodied, juicy flavors of black cherry, blackberry and blackcurrant; touch of vanilla, herbs and cocoa in the persistent finish.
Signature Napa Cabernet. A home run on some many levels, we're going to say the hype is pretty worth it. But this wine is a baby from a great vintage.
It will be interesting to revisit the three bottles sitting in our cellar down the line (starting in 5-7 years). Collectors should pick a few up at this fantastic price. And if you can't wait, it's a joy to drink now as well.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 93 points (a Costco Wine Top Pick)
Costco item number: 1985961
Availability: We buy our wine in Costco warehouses around the Atlanta area. The best way to locate wines near you is by using the new Costco mobile app and searching with the Costco item number we listed above.
Alc. 14.2%
GBH-ATL says
"....only wishing they had samples in the store" - yep. Between that and the food samples, I can see where I'd have lunch daily....
Eddie says
Does Costco have wine samples?
Editor says
They do at Japanese Costcos. Haven’t seen any at North American stores. Maybe others know.
Karen says
"It will be interesting to revisit the three bottles sitting in our cellar down the line (starting in 5-7 years)." Is that 5-7 years from 2026 (so 2031-2033)?
Editor says
Yeah right in that timeframe if we can hold out that long. We’ll see.
Darren Mertz says
It's good, but not what I would call a good value. I suppose things might change if you cellar this for 3 to 5 years as suggested. I've had wine from Washington wineries that I think is better for less money.
Napa Cab Loverrr says
I think your review did it Justice!
Meredith Serra says
93 points? For a wine that supposedly should have retailed at $600? That doesn't quite add up. It would be so great if they let us sample their wines...
Jay says
Picked up a bottle of 2023 Justice Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) at Costco and went digging on where it actually comes from.
Multiple retailer sites (Timeless Wines, Touch of Modern) list the winemakers as Philippe Melka, Maayan Koschitzky, Matt Sands, and Tim Milos—which is notably the core winemaking team behind Realm Cellars. Those same listings also cite fruit from Beckstoffer To-Kalon and Dr. Crane, two top-tier Napa vineyards strongly associated with Realm.
The bottle itself says “Bottled by Flying Blue, Napa, CA.” Flying Blue is a custom-crush/bottling facility commonly used for private-label or NDA wines, which explains why the producer isn’t named directly.
Important caveat: this info doesn’t appear on the Justice website or the label beyond the bottler, so it’s not ironclad proof this is literally a Realm wine. Retailer copy can be marketing-driven. That said, the fact that the same winemaker/vineyard details appear across multiple independent retailers suggests it likely came from shared trade or distributor materials—not a random Reddit invention.
Jean Knops says
Google Ai brings up the same: While the specific custom-crush facility where the wine is physically produced is not publicly disclosed, the 2023 Justice Cabernet Sauvignon is widely associated with the winemaking team from Realm Cellars, making it the most likely source of the expertise and style.
The "Justice" brand is a private label created for the retailer Bounty Hunter (also known as Wine Scout), who then sells it to other retailers including Costco. The winemaking team listed for the "Justice" wines is the core team behind Realm Cellars, which includes Philippe Melka, Maayan Koschitzky, Matt Sands, and Tim Milos.
The wine is often described as being a "virtual winery" product, meaning the company sources high-quality grapes from top vineyards and produces the wine under contract at another facility, rather than at their own physical winery. The wine's quality and style are a direct result of this specific winemaking team's expertise and their access to premier vineyards like Beckstoffer To Kalon and Dr. Crane.
One says
Found it. There was a glitch in supply side of costco and they fixed it and started selling
One says
Strange, costco app in San Diego area shows available but two stores I went to can see it in inventory but cannot find the bottles or boxes on floor. So cannot buy. Any ideas?
Editor says
Hard to say. We’ve had that happen too. The app isn’t 100% accurate but seems to be getting better.
You might want to look under the wooden display cases where they store wine in boxes. It may not have been put out yet.
Or it could be in an alternative location in the store. Sometimes by entrance.
Good luck and hope you find it.