I really enjoy Albarinos in the summer so I was excited to see one from the famed Rias Baixas region in Spain for only $9.99 at Costco. At most wine shops Albarinos from the same area start closer to $15 and many approach $20-$25. So this was a good buy right out of the gate, and after …
Other White
I’ve seen a few of our Twitter followers post photos of the Kirkland Signature Prosecco so I was looking forward to giving it a shot. And I’m glad I did. At $7.49 this is a Prosecco bargain, tasting just like other Proseccos I’ve enjoyed that cost twice as much in some cases. After the fizz …
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I’ve been working diligently on the latest version of my French Wine Book, “Decoding French Wine: A Beginner’s Guide to Enjoying the Fruits of the French Terroir,” and I’m happy to say that this new second edition is live today on Amazon.com.
The Kindle version is only $3.99 and it includes information on major French wine regions including Bordeaux, Loire, Burgundy, Alsace, Rhone, Languedoc-Roussillon and Champagne. This book is short and conscise, written to help the beginner wine drinker become more familiar with French wines that may seem overly complicated and complex. |
I wanted to really make this simple to digest, and to help turn more people on to these amazing wines. If you’ve followed this site for a while, you know I have a tendency to review many of the French wines, particularly the 2010 Bordeaux because they are an amazing vintage. But I also look at many other French wines and regions, because the value is typically so great, especially at Costco. So here’s a chance to boost your knowledge and ultimately, your enjoyment, of these awesome wines.
Download a free sample chapter here.
Thanks for supporting this site.
Andrew, Editor
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I’m drinking this one on a really hot day in Atlanta, and it’s probably the best setting for Pinot Grigio, which are typically not on my shopping list. But in the interest of catering to readers who might enjoy Pinot Grigio, I wanted to give it a shot. At $7.99, I can say it’s enjoyable on a hot summer day and this bottle offers just what it promises to be.
I just don’t typically pick up much flavor in Pinot Grigio, and this one isn’t much different. This wine might be a bit more on the creamy and vanilla side of things, which to me tastes a bit odd with the citrus fruit flavor that’s peaking through. But it’s drinkable, especially cold out of the fridge. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 84 Points |
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Here’s an interesting white blend you don’t see everyday: 65% Grenache Blanc, 15% Muscat, 10% Chardonnay and 10% Riesling. Hailing from Paso Robles, blends like these from the region seem to work more often than not. In this case, I think Costco’s $16.99 price tag is a good bargain on what is a thoroughly fun and different style of white wine, just in time for the warming weather.
Kind of that fresh, new earth, floral nose, with citrus flavors on the palate. I’m a huge fan of Grenache Blanc, and was happy to see it as the dominating varietal. The other grapes help build some complexity and add a little more body and depth to the wine. The Muscat definitely comes through, and the finish has a small touch of that Riesling sweetness. Put together, the wine is well executed. Jettlynn sells this wine on their website for $50, so Costco’s $16.99 price is a fraction of their full retail. I’d recommend this one for white wine fans looking for something a little different to break up the monotony of Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays this summer. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 Points Costco item number: 690864 |
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It’s been a little while since we’ve reviewed a Costco Riesling, and this is a good one to jump back in with. It is a very nice wine for $12.99. I prefer drier Rieslings like this that are not too sweet but packed with fruit flavor.
This bottle hails from Australia’s Eden Valley, and I should note that it was also #56 on Wine Spectator’s list of their top 100 wines of 2012. The wine is full of tropical fruit flavor, lots of pineapple and a burst of lemon-lime on the finish. Although the weather has been pretty cold across much of the country, this is a perfect summer sipper. It’s also the kind I like to pair with spicy food. This is a great white and it’s dry approach makes it much more accessible than many sweeter Rieslings. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 91 Points Costco item number: 199648 |
I’ve been running this site for several years now and it amazes me how it’s grown over the years. The idea for this site originated from a simple blog post I made about buying wine at Costco for a now defunct website that I used to maintain with some friends. That article generated 50X the …
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It’s been a while since I reviewed one of these King Estate Pinot Gris even though they are always in stock it seems. The last one was the 2007 vintage. I think these are excellent whites at a very good price ($13.89 at my Costco).
The 2011 is another winner. The wine is very light, almost see through but it really packs in a lot of flavor. Nose has fresh citrus and honeysuckle aromas, and then strong apricot, citrus, lemon, maybe a little grapefruit flavors. The finish is perfect. Nice one all around, and a summertime favorite at our household. Oregon Pinot Gris is almost always a solid pick. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 90 Points Costco item number: 232249 |
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A lovely white, as are most of these Willamette Valley Pinot Gris. These grapes just grow so nicely in the valley and the wines are reflection of this great cool climate. Having lived in the northwest for several years, I’m of course a little biased toward these wines (particularly the sustainable ones like this), but for $12.99, I think most white wine fans will find this to be a nice wine for the money.
Lots of citrus on the nose, leads into pineapple, apple, lemon and apricot flavors, all coming together perfectly. Really a joy to drink and a good summer sipper. Occasionally I find a good Costco bargain that I will stock up on. For the summer months, this one will be one of those. Try it on your Sauvignon Blanc fans (I know I have a bunch who would love this bottle). CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points Costco item number: 216898 |
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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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
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This is a sweet white blend, consisting of Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and a couple other grapes I can’t be certain of, some of which I think were grown on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC (others sourced from the west coast). I reviewed the Biltmore Century Red blend last week and found it to be nice for Costco’s $8.99 price tag. This white follows suit so long as you know what you’re getting into (I grabbed it quickly off the shelf and wasn’t sure what to expect).
This wine is fresh out of the bottle, crisp flavors of peach, pear and grapefruit. Healthy dose of sweetness on the finish, although the blend mellows it out a tad; a nice wine for before or after dinner, or a hot summer day. Could be paired with the usual Reisling favorite dishes of something spicy or thai, or both. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 84 Points Costco item number 969817 |
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I’m a huge fan of Albarinos, particularly anything that says Rias Baixas on the label because the grape just thrives there. I don’t think I’ve ever had one that I didn’t think was a good value for the money. This bottle is a staple, I’ve had it multiple times, and in every case it delivers. At Costco for $11.59, it might be the best white wine value you find on the shelf.
Don’t shy away if you aren’t familiar with Albarino. This is a super friendly drink, fruity and crisp, clean and pure. It has a touch of sweetness to the finish but nothing that would throw you off. Very food friendly. I’ve enjoyed Albarino with a variety of meals and love it with anything spicy, or white fish. It stands strong on its own as well. This is an excellent alternative if you are tired of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay (it’s more in the Sauvignon Blanc range of character). Do try, the price is great at Costco, and as we enter the cooler months, we’ll see fewer and fewer of these bottles on the shelf. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points Here’s another great Albarino we reviewed. |
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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. |