 |
This wine really changed a lot with air. I was getting ready to write it up as one of my least favorite Kirkland offerings. But after an hour or so in the glass it’s come around, albeit only a bit. I’m a big Bordeaux fan, and frequently enjoy wines from the Medoc region, but most cost more than the $8.99 I paid for this bottle at Costco. At that price, it’s hard to be too critical, but I wouldn’t rush to the store to stock up on this one.
I reread my comments on the 2009 vintage of this wine, and feel very much the same for this year’s wine. Overall, the wine is just not that interesting and rather one dimensional. Nose is almost non-existent; in the mouth the wine opens up with a bit of dark fruit, blackberry, and black licorice flavors, leading to a dry and slightly spicy finish that wraps up quickly. If you’re a Bordeaux fan like me and are looking to try an inexpensive bottle for fun, go for it. Otherwise, I’d take my money and look for anything from Spain for $9. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 85 Points |
Kirkland Wines
 |
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 |
 |
This one is always a summer favorite of mine. At $7.79 this is a nicely made New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc. For fans of these wines, this is exactly what you expect at a great price.
In my review of the 2011 vintage I compared this to the Kim Crawford and White Haven, two very nice wines that taste similar to this one for a few dollars more. The 2012 retains the same sub $8 price as the 2011, and it really hit me right on the super hot sunny day when I enjoyed it. Bright citrus flavor all over the palate; a lot of lemon and lime, and some apple and grapefruit. Finishes pretty quick with some tangy acidity. I’m going to add this bottle to our Value Picks list. As I said before if you like New Zealand Sauv Blancs, this is a no brainer. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 Points (same as last year) Costco item number: 301904 |
 |
It’s a real treat every year when these Kirkland Chateauneufs hit the shelves. You just can’t get into this region for the price that Costco offers ($20) and the wine this year is superb as always.
This is a Rhone blend consisting of 58% Grenache, 23% Syrah, 13% Counoise-Vaccarese, 4% Cinsault and 2% Muscardin-Mourvedre. Don’t let a few of the less familiar grapes deter you. This is a solid Rhone red at an unbeatable price. Here’s my review of the 2010 (which was a great year), and this year stacks up about the same. An easy Silver Rated wine for the site. Perfect dark fruit and berry flavor, spice that hits your nose as you take each drink, young juicy mouthfeel that would only get better with a little more age, and a finish that’s near perfection. This one could run for a while in the bottle and it might be kind of a fun experiment to drink it again in 2-3 years. If it’s still around I might try to snag some for the cellar. Great wine. A red wine lover’s dream at this price. Must buy. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 92 Points (a point up from last year) Costco item number: 777662 |
 |
“Had to try this one to see what they can do with Oakville cab at this price…and the result is pretty good. One of the better Kirkland wines I have tasted (Their Chtf. Du pape is good as well). Nose hits you right away with dark cabernet fruit, what I expect from Oakville. Surprisingly maintains some distinct characteristics of leather, black currant, raisin, blackberry, and vanilla oaky finish – much of what you can find in more expense big name wines from Oakville…Some dusty mild tannins suggest this has some potential for smoothing out a little bit with time. Relatively thick coat finish feels good, but a little bitterness and heat. Falls a tad short overall in terms of complexity (somewhat one-dimensional), but it is a big dark fruit driven wine that could fool many in a blind tasting. Better than expected, and overall I would recommend this one – especially for under $20. *Give it some time to breath….big improvements” — TJ Cohen *KirklandWine*
|
 |
I just realized this Rhone bottle from Kirkland was a Villages, which is even better. At $6.99 this is the steal of all steals for readers who enjoy their Rhone reds.
It’s signature Rhone all around, with the depth and richness I would expect from a bottle that cost at least twice as much. As regular readers know, I love these wines, and truly believe they offer some of the best bang for the buck in the entire world of wine. Here’s a perfect entry point for any doubters. This wine is comprised of the classic Rhone varietals, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, and they come together beautifully. Nose is spicy, earthy, and then just massive fruit on the palate. Jammy dark fruit, blackberry, blueberry, a touch of chocolate, maybe some red licorice; which leads into the clean, slightly spicy finish. Here’s your everyday red wine. Stock up. It’s a bargain at this price. And a good BBQ wine for the summer. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 Points Costco item number: 887774 |
 |
A pretty middle of the road wine, but not a bad value at only $6.99, especially if you’re looking for an everyday white to accompany dinner. It’s been a while since we’ve reviewed one of these Kirkland Chardonnay (last vintage was 2008) and I was hoping for maybe a bit more. But then again…$6.99…
This is more of a fruity Chardonnay, which I typically prefer, but it seemed a little caught in the middle of what it wanted to be. The nose kicks off tropical fruit and glides you in with some pear, grapefruit and lemon, but towards the finish the fruit collides with a bit of vanilla, butter and oak and it didn’t pull through for me. With the right meal, I can drink this no problem. On its own, its flaws become more noticeable. I’d pay a dollar or two more for a different bottle. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 85 Points Costco item number: 514007 |
 |
The Kirkland Signature Russian River Pinot Noir is a staple at Costco during the fall months. I’ve reviewed quite a few of the past vintages of this wine and have found them to be nice for the money ($12.99).
I think the 2011 vintage is one of the better ones of the last few years. It’s really young, ripe and fresh which sometimes can mask anything interesting about the wine, but the winemakers have really balanced in some nice spicy notes, and created a nice, light Pinot Noir that I could drink all day long. It’s a good bargain at this price point, and one that I would certainly pick up again. Plus, you can drink this with almost any meal. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 Points Costco item number: 555512 |
 |
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* Costco item number: 595394 |