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Costco always turns up the heat with their wine selection during the holidays. I can’t remember the last time I saw such a big selection of different varietals of wine there in a long time.
Maybe it was due to the 90 point IWC review (note the sticker on the bottle), but this Spanish Crianza did not meet my expectations. The color is a dark purple and nose almost tangy, acidic and powerful in itself. That theme continued as this is a bold wine with almost grippy tannins and medium plus acidity that overpowers the small amount of dark fruit I tasted. It left me looking for more after a short tangy finish. I came back the next day and paired it with some Manchego cheese which helped the fruit come through more and it improved considerably. Goes to show you how a wine can improve with food, especially when they’re from the same region. There are better Spanish wines you can find for $14.99 (or less) at Costco, and if you hunt around you can find this for less elsewhere. Rating: 87 |
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Wine: Altos de Sueno Winery: Castillo de Maluenda Varietal(s): 75% Grenache, 25% Syrah Vintage: 2010 Region: Calatayud Appelation, Aragon Region, Spain Costco price: $9.89
As I write this, the South has settled into a cold, rainy streak. The rain seems to never stop, flooding trout streams and keeping wildlife bedded down. The waders and camouflage stay put up and the pajamas stay on….sometimes all day long. What I do love about this time of year is the comforts of soul food and red wine. From stews to roasts, Tempranillo to Bordeaux, the season offers a plethora of opportunity to tour the world in the comforts of home by pairing foods from one country with wines of another. Today – Spain.
It is safe to say that Spain has caught the eye of the wine world, and in recent years has taken the US market by storm. Some are coining it the “Spanish Wine Renaissance”, bringing a country rich in wine history back into the conversation after disappearing from world view for many years. The options are seemingly endless, with many years’ worth of wine exploration that await.
I paired this Altos de Sueno from the Aragon region of Spain with a venison stew made from a hunt from last year. The grapes in this blend (Grenache/Syrah) compliment and pair well with game meats and each bring out the nuances in the other. The wine comes off very young, moderately jammy, and probably in need of a little more time in the bottle. The nose and palate are vibrant with cherry, blackberry, licorice, and is super fruit forward. Mildly to moderately acidic. Candidly, I was not all too impressed on Day #1. What I did find most interesting is Day #2 – both the wine, and the stew, were phenomenally better! I expected that with the stew, but not with the wine. The “fruitiness” was still there, but was tamed and the palate much more well-rounded. Good everyday, non-pretentious wine. Going against the grain, I give it two ratings: Day #1 and Day #2.
Redneck Wine Guy Rating: 85/89 Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA Costco item number: 803597 |
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Wait, wait, wait. Pretty great! That pretty much summarizes the Casarena Reserva 2011 Cabernet. It is made from 82-year-old vines and the mature vines show: this is a rich, plush Cabernet with a nose of prune, blackberry, coffee and toast. But, like a bad first date, this wine doesn’t show-off much on the first day. When it finally emerged from a self-imposed exile on the 2nd and 3rd days, some really lovely characteristics began to show.
The palate was very soft, ripe, and supple. This does not drink like a typical Cabernet Sauvignon, typical of the South American Cabs. Instead of complexity, it is plush and lush: Medium-dark ruby; sleek, glossy, good legs. Nice aroma of vanilla bean and white pepper, with some nice lingering fruit in the finish. By the 4th day (yes, I waited that long to finish the bottle) it continued to drink very nicely – long legs and long life! I found that I had to wait, but this wine came through. Decanting is a must and a second date is highly recommended. For the price, this wine offers a lot, but not early.
Note: The pricing suggests that Costco may be phasing out this wine. The early birds will likely be the only ones get this wine. Happy hunting. – Review by Michael S
Rating: 90 (for value) Price: $14.89 Costco Item #: 712496 Purchased at Costco in: San Diego, California |
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This is a great deal for $10.99 at Costco and really over delivers. The first thing I picked up was the bright cherry aroma on the nose along with the deep red color of the wine. The fruit comes through immediately and continues mid palate with medium tannins and just enough acidity to balance it out. It’s medium body allows the flavors to stand out without being overpowered. My favorite was the red fruit spice that took the wine home through the finish. Tasting it blind, it might fool you into thinking it could be a Bordeaux. I enjoy how these Spanish wines from the same region can be so different. — Adam L Rating: 90 Points |
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For $8.89 at Costco, this is a solid California red blend, and a slight step above my expectations. At this price it really is a bargain, especially if you compare to a wine like the super popular Apothic Red, which again is a fantastic bargain for $8 at Costco, but I might like this Bogle blend a tad better.
A spicy floral nose leads into a soft, rich flavor packed wine. The varietals are Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, and they’ve assembled the blend perfectly. Good ripe fruit, lots of red fruit flavor with a semi-dry finish that brings a little spice. Feels wonderful in the mouth. This is a fun little wine the more you jump into it. I had Bogle’s Phantom blend at a dinner party a few months back and remember liking it. This one is right there, and I’m sure a lot less expensive. This is a very good buy. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points |
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This is a big meaty Cab, packed with flavor and distinctive Mendoza style. It’s a real bargain for $15.59 at Costco. As the winter months approach, this one will warm you up. Enjoy it with a hearty red meat dish.
This wine really changed with some air. At first the nose was earthy and spicy, but after an hour or so, it became much more floral. In the mouth, the wine feels soft and juicy at first, then the big body and flavor creeps in and hits you with a burst of energy. Flavors of dark fruit, blackberry with hints of leather, tobacco and black licorice. The wine picks up its spice notes toward the finish. This is a nice bottle for the money. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points |
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Anytime I see a new Spanish wine at Costco I’m immediately intrigued (especially at 15.5% alc). Among the pallets and pallets of wine was this unassuming, under the radar Spanish blend going for $11.99.
This wine is 40% Mazuelo, 40% Syrah, and 20% Garnacha. Mazuelo is the name used for Carignan in the Rioja region of northern Spain. It’s also the third most planted varietal in Spain. Because of it’s strong acidity it’s most often used as a blending grape. The nose gives off an aroma of fruit and acidity. I was surprised that after a few minutes of air how the garnacha started to show itself and complement the strong acidity. In between the Syrah was well represented carrying the fruit through to a short, chalky finish. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at the blend of these grapes. I’m curious to see what a little less Mazuelo and a little more Garnacha would do to this wine. Maybe next year… Rating 88 |
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This is a rather simple, but very drinkable and enjoyable $10 Zin. I like this one particularly because it could be served with just about any type of food. Many Zins fit that bill, but this wine can truly cover the spectrum. I enjoyed it with a grilled chicken salad, but it could hold up just fine with steak, hamburgers, or pizza (or the just passed Thanksgiving meal).
The nose gets peppery enough to make you almost sneeze. In the mouth this wine is smooth as silk, medium in body, light and fluffy, soft tannins, with nice red berry flavors, a little tobacco/cigar box toward the close, and a good peppery spice on the finish. Nice job on this one for $10. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points Costco item number: 245513 |
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This is a lovely Chardonnay at the great price of $14.99 at Costco – a real bargain for a California Chardonnay of this caliber. This is an extremely food friendly wine, with just the right amount of fruit, spice and oak to complement just about any meal.
Nose is bright, lots of lemon and citrus scents, smelling more like a Sauvignon Blanc. But then the nice body and Chard characteristics take over, and you get some vanilla and stone on top of the citrus fruit. Really well balanced between these elements. The finish brings just a touch of oak, which works great. This is a winner all around. Great price, Great wine. This is what buying wine at Costco is all about. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 90 Points Costco item number: 35512 |
I’m a believer that many different types of wine can complement the Thanksgiving holiday. The variety of food with such varying characteristics means there’s not really any single home run wine that matches all the flavors. I like to serve one white and one red bottle with the meal (at the same time, one glass of each per person), usually preceeded by a bubbly, Champagne or Presecco, while the meal is prepared.
With listing Costco wines, it’s always a moving target since the inventory moves so quickly. But I found two wines we reviewed recently that I really enjoyed and that I think would be a good complement to the Thanksgiving celebration. These were purchased at a Costco store in Atlanta, GA so I can’t say if you’ll be able to find them near you. But keep an eye out.
– Andrew, Editor
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I really enjoyed the Baileyana Chardonnay so was thrilled to see the Pinot hits store shelves. This is an $18 Pinot that drinks like it cost two to three times that. It’s an easy crowd pleaser, with great mouthfeel and has enough vanilla, pepper and spice going on to jazz up almost any meal. My review here. |
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I’m a fan of most Carneros wines and this Chardonnay hit me right on all accords. Rich, layered with touches of butter, cream and oak, but not too much. In my experience Neyers has never produced a bad wine. They are dependable, and for $25, this is a solid Chardonnay. My full review here. |
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I’m not embarrassed about liking Merlot, even though I risk being excommunicated by some of my brethren. As the French have proven, merlot at its best is the best. (check out the Petrus Pomerol, if you’ve got a $3,000 laying around) Yes, California wineries abused this versatile grape in the 80s and 90s and Sideways drove a stake in its heart in 2004. But merlot is a beautifully supple grape that balances beautifully and can transform a modest meal into a succulent supper….if it is well done.
I was excited to discover a Napa merlot being offered by Cameron Hughes – a very versatile negociant whose bottlings are often carried by Costco. CH reportedly produced 6500 cases of this merlot, so my hopes were raised further. Even better, it is being offered at a very reasonable $11.59 (after a $3 discount). I drank it with two meals over a period of two days, paired with a salmon salad and a humble hamburger. In both cases, the merlot disappointed. The nose was weak, if non-existent. The taste was all front-forward blackberry fruit with no discernible finish and a surprisingly high tannic quotient for a Napa merlot. I took the two days to taste it out of concern that it needed oxygen, but I fear it needed CPR, rather than O2. For the same money, Washington-based Milbrandt is producing some killer merlot at a similar price point and has been known to pop up at Costco over the years. And the H3 Merlot is both readily available and a safe bet at Costco. Keep an eye out for the rarely-sighted Milbrandt and take a pass on CH’s most recent offering.
Rating: 82 points Costco item number: 818040 |
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As the nights get colder in Southern California, sitting down with a bottle of red wine on a Saturday evening sounds better and better. I’ve had this Kirkland Napa County Cabernet on hand for about two weeks and decided tonight was the night to take it out for a spin.
As I poured what would be my first taste, the wine color was deep purple and it’s nose exhibited traditional black fruited currant flavors. Unfortunately, my first sip was disappointing. Maybe I expected more because the Kirkland brand has delivered some great value wines, but this one clearly needed some time to open up and figure out how it wanted to present itself. To those that pop and pour, beware. If you judge it right out of the bottle you will be disappointed. For those just getting into red wine, that brings up an important point. After being in a bottle a while, most wines need time to open up and let being exposed to air do it’s thing. Couldn’t be truer in the case of this wine. I decided to decant the bottle and forget about it a couple hours. Coming back to the wine and starting over gave it a second chance to impress. This wine has some good qualities, but they seem out of order. There’s a quick rush of black fruit which isn’t as ripe as I hoped and held it back. Before I could think more about the fruit, I was greeted with traces of oak and chocolate, soon to be followed by a surprising tasty dusty cocoa flavor that lingered momentarily (which happened to be my favorite part). This wine sells for $12.99 and I’ve seen it at a few Costcos. Give it a good amount of time and it will not disappoint in the end considering you don’t have high expectations. Rating 86 Points |
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This is a blended red from different California vineyards, hence the 815 label, and was $13.99 at my Costco. A quick online search will show this wine for a dollar or two cheaper at various outlets, so the Costco price seems decent overall. As for the wine, it is a subtle Cab, blended very well to create an easy drinking bold red. The vineyards include regions such as Sonoma, Paso, Lodi and Lake County, all great areas, and each one brings a little something different to the wine.
The nose is young, floral with hints of cinnamon; flavors of fresh cherry, blueberry, more cinnamon; the flavors come as kind of a quick pop and the wine settles into a slow smooth, dusty finish. 2011 wasn’t the best year for California, and I was told by winemakers on a recent trip to Napa to be picky about what to buy; but this wine seems to come together. It’s a nice food wine, and an ok buy for CA Cabs overall. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 86 Points Costco item number: 236764 |
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Obviously the bottle is the first thing you notice here, and I have to give them marks for creativity. I usually avoid cute gimmicks like this at all costs, but this one happened to be a Chateauneuf-du-Pape and at $23.99 at Costco I figured it would be fun to roll the dice.
The wine is light ruby garnet in color, floral nose , some violet, candy; medium plus in body. Flavors are dried plum, little vegetal, green pepper, scents of leather with spice and pepper, both getting strong into the close. A little dry and chalky on the spicy finish. Needed some air to get going, but turned into a decent wine in the end. As a fan of Chateauneuf-du-Papes, I have to say I didn’t get that signature Chateauneuf flavor on this one. Sometimes that happens in sub $25 Chateauneuf wines. They end up tasting more like a standard Cotes du Rhone, which isn’t at all bad, just not what I was hoping for. Overall, have fun with the packaging, but don’t get too pumped for the wine inside. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 85 Points Costco item number: 753984 |
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Liked this one. Beautiful nose of sweet dark fruits and a bit of spice, new world merlot type. Rich fruit on the palate, strawberry, dark chocolate, licorice, little sour cherry. Excellent mouth feel, really like the texture and feels extremely polished and well made.
Good finish, firm and silky tannins, this thing will have some good years ahead – some alcohol lingering. I have to note that I picked up a few of these bottles as Costco was selling them for $18. At that price point, this is an insanely good value. — TJ Cohen |