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Crazy value for only $6.99, which is $2 cheaper than it was at my store last year. Even at $8.99 I thought last year’s was a bargain. At $6.99 for the 2011, this is a no brainer.
It’s fruity and young, with ripe flavor as in years past. But I’m picking up a lot more of a floral and spice component on the finish, especially after a little air, that really brings more to the wine. Nice job on this one Costco. I’ve had several readers write in with praise the minute this one hit their stores, and they couldn’t have been right. Is it the greatest Malbec of all time? No. But it just might be the best one for $7. A definite member of the Value Picks. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 Points *Value Pick* Costco item number: 777761 |
Editor
This wine was a big disappointment for me. I’m a huge Chateauneuf fan and always look forward to cracking these open, but this wine was not up to par. I would advise readers to steer clear of this bottle. I reviewed the 2009 vintage of the same wine and did not particularly enjoy it at that …
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This is a guest post from Marshall, a reader in Atlanta. (There are a lot of these Bordeaux under $15 hitting Costco stores. 2009 and 2010 were good years, and these wines are fantastic bargains. I have a few reviews on them coming soon):
This was a great experience after getting off to a negative start. This was my first time with Chateau Le Pey and my only piece of advice is LET IT AIR for at least 30 minutes! I initially opened the bottle and let it air for about 15 minutes while eating dinner. The taste was bitter and not up to par with my standards at first. I walked away again after about half a glass and came back in another 20 minutes hoping for a better experience. This time I was pleasantly greeted with a sweet fruit flavor that was not previously present. This was a great value for $11.99 and I would definitely purchase again on a night when I have time to let it air for a good 30-45 minutes before drinking.
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I can’t think of the last time I truly enjoyed a bottle for under $7, so this one at Costco for $6.59 may be the bargain of the year. This is a nice wine for the money.
Signature Argentina in its makeup, the wine instantly reminded me of some Patagonia Cabs I’ve tried recently. Fresh and ripe, this wine feels surprisingly good in the mouth; more on the medium body side; flavors of dark berry, blackberry, black cherry and tobacco. Really enjoyable on the palatte. Finish is pretty quick and dry. As I said already, this could be the bargain wine of the year. Kind of like the Etim from 2006, one of the best bargains I’ve found at Costco. So scoop a few of these up and enjoy. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 Points Costco item number: 690794 |
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This is a lovely wine, and I hate to say I was surprised (since it’s from Montsant), but it certainly met my already somewhat high expectations. I just haven’t had many wines from Montsant that I didn’t think were great for the price. It’s a killer region, and this wine is a fantastic bargain for only $12.99 at Costco.
The wine really does leap out of the bottle. Big aromas, red fruit, juicy, lots of ripe red cherry, red licorice, then a little cedar and spice on the finish. (15 minutes later) Now the wine has had a little air, and it’s getting even better. The red fruit flavor keeps magnifying. This is a fun one. Grapes are Grenache, Carignane, and Syrah, which frequent readers of this site will know are some of my favorite grapes especially in European blends such as this. So maybe I’m a little biased. Try it for yourself, and let us know. I’m going with a low 90’s rating and placing this one on our Bronze Rated wine list. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 91 Points Costco item number: 600976 |
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This bottle is a terrific value for only $9.99 at Costco. It’s a perfect everyday Italian red, ideal for complementing meals, but can stand just fine on its own.
Comprised of what I’m guessing is mostly Sangiovese, the wine is young and juicy; it just jumps out of the glass. Nice dark fruit flavor covers the palatte and is rounded out by a spicy and dry finish. This is one that’s great to enjoy young. An easy addition to the Value Picks, it doesn’t get much better under $10. Drop one of these in the cart if you see it. I’m a fan. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 Points Costco item number: 702148 |
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A Costco staple, the Horse Heaven Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from Chateau Ste. Michelle is always a solid white for under $15, and the 2011 is another good offering especially considering its $11.99 price tag.
The nose has light floral scents, a little earth and a hint of its citrus flavor. On the palatte, the grapefruit, pear and apple flavors come together nicely; medium in body, a little dry on the finish, but the acidity helps stick it out. This would be a great summer bottle so I might buy a few more to save for when I want a crisp, clean white for sunny days. I reviewed the 2008 vintage of this wine, and gave it 89 Points, which is perhaps a little on the high side for the 2011, which I’ll bring in just a point below that at 88. Recommended. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points Costco item number: 229303 |
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A delicious Napa Syrah, drinking really well right now. And it kept getting better with more air, opening up into a luscious, fruit packed and spicy wine that has a nice velvety feel in the mouth.
Flavors are dark fruit, blueberry, blackberry, balanced with earthy undertones and a touch of leather and black licorice. I originally had this marked as a Bronze Rated wine, but I am going to up it to Silver. The price at Costco was only $19.79, and for a wine of this caliber, this is a good deal. I’m going to see if I can get another one or two to hold on to for a while. This is one that Syrah lovers of all types will enjoy. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 92 Points Costco item number: 704997 |
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A simple, palatable but not incredibly interesting Kirkland Bordeaux. Since it is only $8.99 at Costco, there’s not too much to complain about. I found it to be more enjoyable than many other $8.99 bottles, but also a little one dimension.
The wine offers some good earthy and spice scents on the nose; then opens into nice dark cherry flavors, a little black licorice, some tobacco and pepper. Finish is simple, a little dry but not overly dry. This is a good wine priced just right. You certainly won’t feel as though you overpaid (and may not feel you underpaid either). CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 86 Points Costco item number: 666695 |
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Just a lovely wine all the way around, and a must buy for Sauvignon Blanc fans, especially for $14.79 at Costco. Sancerre is in France’s acclaimed Loire Valley and almost every wine I’ve tasted from here has been excellent.
Big citrusy nose, almost like you’d expect from a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc but in the mouth it takes on a life of its own. Flavors of lemon, lime, grapefruit, maybe some apricot, all very palatable. A good dose of acidity as you expect from these wines. Lovely on the finish. Super food friendly, probably moreso than the New Zealands. I really enjoyed this one. Nothing I would change, and it’ll join our Silver Rated wine list. Don’t let the label and lack of description turn you away (shameless plug: if you’d like to learn more about the wines of France, check out my pocketbook primer on the subject: Decoding French Wine). CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 91 Points Costco item number: 685573 |
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If you like Malbecs from Mendoza, you really need to explore those from the other side of the world too, notably Cahors France. This is a beautiful Malbec that is awesome on its own and could pair with almost anything. For $14.99 at Costco it is also a very fair priced wine.
Fruity nose, a little floral and it gets peppery if you inhale enough. Great medium body feels perfect in the mouth. Has perfumy scents before it opens up into spicy cherry and red fruit flavors. Highly acidic and tight, this one attacks the lower jaw muscles as it leads into the spicy finish. A really nice wine at this price. Very different from its cousins in Mendoza. This is how the French do Malbec and I really enjoyed it. Spring this one on your wine snob friend; then tell him what it is and how much it cost. Adding to our Bronze Rated List. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 Points Costco item number: 685676 |
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A balanced red blend from Spain’s famed Priorat region which is just a huge bargain for only $18.99 at Costco. This was a fun wine given its varietal makeup: 30% Garnacha, 25% Carinyena, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah and 10% Merlot. Anytime you find a Priorat wine for under $20, it’s typically a safe bet.
The wine is super dark on the pour with a nose of spice, earth and pepper; softer on the palate than I was expecting (great mouthfeel) and as the wine got some air it really started to open up. Dark fruit flavors, leather notes, dusty and a little chalky toward the finish but the flavor holds through. Definitely a little different but the blend is masterful. This is a great Costco buy. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 90 Points Costco item number: 181390 |
Once a year we assemble the Costco wines we rated the highest over the past 12 months. From glancing through the list, I think it’s safe to say that we found a lot of great wines at some fantastic prices. Our series in September on high end Costco wines provides quite a few placements on this list, but that’s not to say there weren’t some big bargains as well.
As always, it’s going to be hard to find many of these wines since Costco moves their inventory so quickly (but I’ve seen at least 3-4 of these still available at Costco stores near me). So keep an eye out. These are all winners. Click on the label to read our review of each wine.
Thanks for another fun year.
— Editor
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I thought this was a lovely Rose for $12.79. There’s not much to not like. It’s a clean drinking wine, perfect for any occassion; just an easy sipper that’s nice to have on hand, especially with the holidays around the corner. You can feed this one to novice and expert wine drinkers alike.
The wine has a little sweetness and acidity to it that reminded me of pink lemonade. We enjoyed this one before a big meal and saved half for afterwards. Perfect. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 Points Costco item number: 194685 |
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A decent Napa Cab for the $12.99 price point at Costco. Since I’ve always gone kind of middle of the road on these Kirkland Napa Cabs, I had a few other people try it, and they all agreed it was a nice wine for the money, but nothing special.
I gave the 2009 vintage of this wine 86 points and will do the same this year. What you have is a nice Cab (although I’d guess there’s a touch of something else in here, likely Merlot), that starts fresh and ripe on the nose, it’s medium to full in body with tight tannins, a little cocoa on top of the dark fruit flavors, and some spice on the rather quick finish. Not a bad wine by any stretch, and ok at this price point. See what you think and let me know on our Facebook page. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 86 Points Costco item number: 929290 |