French Archives - Page 13 of 13 - CostcoWineBlog.com

CostcoWineBlog.com’s Highest Rated Wines of 2012

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

91 Points	93 Points
94 Points	94 Points
95 Points	92 Points
91 Points	92 Points
92 Points	92 Points
91 Points	91 Points
92 Points	91 Points

2008 Chateau La Nerthe Cheateauneuf-du-pape

This is a nice Chateauneuf at a pretty good price ($39.89 at my Costco). It’s not a knock-your-socks off wine like I recently found in the (much more expensive) Beaucastel, which if price is no object you should definitely buy. But if you’re looking for a Chateauneuf on the lower end (and $40 is the lower end), the Chateau La Nerthe is a good pick.

This wine is purply dark ink color in the glass, nose is lively with earthy, spicy nutmeg scents. On the palate the wine feels great, it’s light and fluffy with softer tannins. Flavors of red fruit, a bit of strawberry into a spicy ending. Good food wine.

All around solid wine. Not a bad buy at $40, but you could probably find other Rhone wines in the $20-$25 that would taste similar. But I’m still giving it 90 Points.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 90 Points

Costco item number: 482702

Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2012 at Costco

Wine Spectator just released their top 100 wines for 2012. Here’s a PDF of the list.

A reader of our website suggested we try to list which of the wines from the list were available at Costco. I thought it was a fantastic idea. But given the different selection of wines in Costco stores around the country, I thought it would be best to ask for help from all of our readers.

If you see any of the wines on the list, please tell everyone what you found and where on the Costco Wine Blog Facebook page. Also, please list price, and of course any tasting notes if you’ve already opened the wine.

I’ll start by listing a few of the wines from the list that I’ve seen at Costco stores in Atlanta in the last few months (in some cases different vintages).

#51 Bodega Norton Malbec Mendoza Reserva 2010 (my review of the 2008 vintage)

#58 Perrin & Fils Vinsobres Les Cornuds 2010 (my review of the 2007 vintage)

#92 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2009 (my review of this wine. Scored it a point ahead of WS)

So keep an eye out next time you hit your local Costco, and please report back anything you find. I plan on hitting a few more stores to see what I can find.

— Editor

2010 Chateau Liversan Haut-Medoc Bordeaux

You don’t find a lot of Cru Bourgeois in this price range ($13.89) so I was looking forward to seeing what this wine was all about. Plus the mix of 50% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon with only 1% Petit Verdot was interesting. But this one came together very nicely. A solid Bordeaux for the money, and at $14, a great overall offering among sub $15 bottles.

Nose is fresh and lively, especially it being only a 2010, more of a medium body, but full on flavor. Loads of red fruit, strawberry, cherry and red licorice. Finishes up dry and spicy.

This is an excellent Bordeaux buy at Costco. It seems like we’ve seen quite a few of these lately, so let’s hope it’s a trend that continues.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 90 Points

Costco item number: 235122

2010 Kirkland Signature Bordeaux Superieur

A stunning value for only $6.99, this is a ripe and juicy, Merlot dominated Bordeaux that’s a must buy if you see it on your next trip to Costco.

The grapes are sourced from Chateau Le Gardera and are 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in French oak for 12 months. The wine is fresh on the nose, showing a little hint of spice, medium in body with cherry and plum flavors. Tight tannins lead into a dry finish.

I would never guess this wine could be scored for $7. It’s nice all the way through and probably one of the best value Kirkland wines in recent memory. A good addition to our Value Picks list.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points

*ValuePick*
*KirklandWine*

Costco item number: 595394

2005 Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac

Reader review. I would love to try this one…

Fantastic wine one of my favorite Bordeaux at this level ($100 in Florida). A great
representative of the landmark 2005 vintage and of course still
evolving.

Nice deep and dark Cabernet fruit that flows perfectly to
long finish with a bit of cherry flavor. Smooth as can be, I could never
get tired of drinking this and would be great with many food pairings
or as I drank it on its own. Great one to sit on for many years to
come.
96pts
— Raul Garza

2009 Chateau Lagrange Saint Julien

This is a nice mid-range Grand Cru from St. Julien (3rd growth Bordeaux). A very much go-to bordeaux in the under $100 range, and one you will see a lot of restaurant menus. I have a had a few other vintages and all have delivered that great smooth and refined Bordeaux taste.

I was pleased to see my local Costco with several cases of the 2009 vintage, and at $75 a great price point here in Tokyo, Japan. Chateau Lagrange consists primarily of cabernet sauvignon, as well as merlot, and petit verdot.

This 2009 Lagrange was what I hoped for from this renowned vintage. After some decanting, this really opened up into a nice smooth drinking wine. Great nose followed by a little vanillla, some blueberry flavors, and plum finish. Not too over the top, very subtle and refined wine. I have had some other 2009 Bordeaux in this price point that I prefer over this one, for example the Calon Segur, but this is a very nice wine overall.

I would score this 91-92 points, and feel it is one worth cellaring for a few more years.

Their second wine called Les Fiefs de Lagrange is also quite nice, and priced at a good value.
— Jun Chiba

This is a guest post from a reader. During Sept we are reviewing higher end wines from Costco and if you want to help out, here’s how to do it.

New Wine Book – Just Published: Around the Wine World in 40 Pages

I’m happy to announce the publication of my latest wine book titled Around the Wine World in 40 Pages: An Exploration Guide for the Beginning Wine Enthusiast.

It’s $3.99 for the Kindle with a physical version coming down the line. The book takes readers on a journey throughout the most popular and notable wine growing regions in the world, providing an inside perspective on what wine drinkers at all experience levels need to know about the grapes and styles from each region, along with the price points and suggestions on specific wines to try. I even include references to a lot of wines that can be found at Costco. I hope you enjoy.
— Editor

New Kindle Book: Decoding French Wine

The wine world can be intimidating at first. It was for me just a handful of years ago. But by creating this site and continually trying a range of new wines, I’ve come to expand my palate and my tastes a fair amount. But it’s a long journey and that’s why I find it, as many …

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