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2012 Kirkland Signature Series Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

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Of all the Kirkland Signature wines I've had in the past year or so, this is among the ones I looked most forward to digging into (some of the KS Chateauneufs too, and the Signature Series Malbec was outstanding).  2012 was such a banner growing year for Napa and I figured the Kirkland Napa Cab for […]

A Preview of My Latest Project for CostcoWineBlog Readers

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CostcoWineBlog was founded on a whim.  I shop at Costco regularly and love buying wine there so I started to write about it online.  For six years I've been writing wine reviews regularly, and we've created this awesome community of people who love finding new wines to enjoy from Costco. In short, I'm not going anywhere.  […]

2012 Kirkland Signature Series Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

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It was a pleasant surprise to come across this bottle from Costco's Kirkland label.  They've really expanded their reach to include a wider selection of wines from numerous prestigious wine growing areas around the globe.  So I would advise to take note on your next trip to Costco.  You might be surprised what you find. […]

2013 Kirkland Signature Series Oakville Merlot

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There are quite a few Kirkland Signature Series bottles available at my Costco right now that have really grabbed my attention.  I just reviewed and loved the Signature Series Mendoza Malbec.  During my most recent visit, I found this Oakville Merlot, along with two other Kirkland Signature Series wines I'm really excited about: a 2012 Napa […]

2011 Bosco Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

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Decent value here (only $8.99 a bottle) in a satisfyingly simple, everyday drinker.  There's really nothing to not like, except perhaps a little old world dustiness that may turn off a few drinkers.  But I think this a pretty interesting wine for the money, and a good example of what you can get in this region […]

2011 Kirkland Signature Series Mendoza Malbec

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This is one of those wines that just highlights why shopping for wine at Costco is such a pleasure.  I've had several readers comment on the standard (non signature series) Kirkland Malbec which is about half the price of this one ($8.99 for the regular Kirkland Malbec vs $18.79 for Kirkland Signature Series that I […]

2006 Canonica a Cerreto Sandiavolo Toscana

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I couldn't wait to try this wine.  It had so many things going for it.  2006 vintage so it had some age.  A perfect blend of 34% Sangiovese, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot.  And I'm hot for Super Tuscans at the moment, particularly those that fall into that $20-$30 range where you can find […]

2012 Kirkland Signature Series Columbia Valley Red

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How can you tell a good wine from an excellent wine?  One of our tests is to take them on a marathon and see how they perform.   In this case, we ran with two Kirkland Signature wines: the 2012 Signature Merlot and Columbia Valley Red  (which is pretty close to Bordeaux blend, with cabernet, merlot […]

2013 Domaine de Chene-Colombe Macon Villages

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I first came across this wine in the 2011 vintage about 10 months ago, so was happy to see the 2013 appear at my Costco.  After I reviewed the 2011 back in May of 2014 I had several readers write in that they really enjoyed this wine, and agreed with my take that this was […]

NV Pizzolato Fields Prosecco Brut Organic

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I knew this would be a fun buy - Organic Prosecco at Costco for $8.99; it's hard to go wrong.  And this bottle is exactly what you'd expect.  I don't see much of a reason to go further upstream from here for an every day bubbly. Nice fruit; citrus flavors, apple, pear. Dry finish as expected, very crisp […]

2012 Cambria Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay

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I'm happy to see Cambria wines back at Costco.  They seemed to have disappeared from the stores near me for a while.  My first spotting was back in November when I found and reviewed the excellent 2012 Julia’s Vineyard Pinot, which offers big time value for under $20.  This Chardonnay, priced at $16.99, carries that same […]

2012 Alceno Premium 50 Barricas Red Blend

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Here's another great value Spanish bottle that is only $11.99 at Costco.  This one is a bit different of a blend than many of the other high value Spanish wines I've been writing about lately. This wine is 85% Syrah and 15% Monastrell.  If you like Syrah with some character, this is the wine for […]

2011 Bodegas Mano a Mano Tempranillo

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It's hard to believe this bottle was only $7.99 at Costco.  This is an excellent Spanish Tempranillo at an unbeatable price. Dark, earthy fruit and spice on the nose; loads of dark fruit, blackberry, black cherry, anise, tar, with an extra dry, herbal noted finish.  This wine pours dark into the glass and certainly has […]

2014 Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

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The 2014 vintage of this wine was exactly as expected - signature New Zealand citrus and grassiness with loads of acidity at a good price ($8.99, consistent with last year).  My review of the 2013 vintage of this wine sums up my feelings this year too. These are nice wines, perfect for summer weather, but […]

2011 Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Red Blend

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Merlot varietals have not fared well in the U.S. wine drinking circles over the past few decades, so more American winemakers are moving towards merlot-based blends…..just like the French have been doing for hundreds of years.   (As with French Fries/frites and Napoleon pastries,  sometimes the French come up with darn good gastronomical ideas.)   Merlot is […]

2012 Altano Douro

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[Our friends at The Fermented Fruit just reviewed this $9 Douro wine from Costco that also scored 91 points from Wine Spectator.  Sounds like one to keep an eye out for.  Read their full review here.]

2012 Domaine Jean Luc Joillot Bourgogne

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Finding good Red Burgundy at a decent price is tough, so I was curious how this $20 bottle from Costco would show.  Overall, I found it to be an ok buy, hard to beat for the money, but not the hidden value Pinot I had hoped for. Pleasant nose, fresh berries with some smoke and perfume; the […]

2009 Bodega Los Aljibes Vina Aljibes Red Blend

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I had a really cool experience when I was at Costco and purchased this wine.  I encountered a guy scrolling through his iPhone and I just happened to glance at his screen in the hopes I might see him looking at this site, and alas...that's exactly what happened.  We had a great conversation that followed […]

2013 Columbia Crest H3 Horse Heaven Hills Chardonnay

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I had mixed feelings going into this wine.  I had heard good things, but was a little doubtful that it wouldn't deliver much for its $8.50 price tag at Costco.  But long behold, this isn't a bad wine at all, and it turns out to be a pretty good value buy, particularly if you prefer […]

2011 E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge

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I had to check my notes on this wine to make sure I got the price right.  I paid only $11.99, and for that price this is a seriously good buy.  Granted I have an affinity for Rhone wines, but this is a bottle that I'm going to stock up on in a big way.  […]

10 Italian Wines We Enjoyed While Researching Our Italian Wine Book

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10 Italian Wines We Love Looking for some Italian wines to try this Valentine’s Day (and beyond)? Well, it just so happens that we drank a whole lot of vino while researching our recently published book, Decoding Italian Wine. Here are 10 of our favorites, ordered from least expensive to priciest. We hope you enjoy them […]

2014 Nobilo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

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If you enjoy the grassy acidity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, than here's $7.99 well spent on your next trip to Costco.  This wine is a Costco staple (in stock, most places, most of the time it seems) and the 2014 vintage is as fresh as could be, which is a trait I enjoy in […]

2014 Tapiz Malbec Mendoza

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Here's a great value buy that was recommended by a reader of the site.  It's hard to believe we're already drinking 2014 wines (reds particularly) and this wine tastes fresh and juicy like it was bottled yesterday.  Made from high elevation organic grapes grown in the Malbec mecca of Mendoza, it's hard to go wrong […]

2010 Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva

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The Frescobaldi Nipozzano is one of my go-to bottles, versatile for almost any occasion, and a real treat for only $18.99 at Costco.  I've enjoyed many of Frescobaldi's wines over the years.  They make some excellent wines at the high and low ends, and they are generally a good name to remember when perusing any […]

2010 Northstar Merlot

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[Our friends at The Fermented Fruit recently discovered this Costco Merlot bargain.  On sale for $19.99, normally $41 retail.  You can read their full review here.  Sounds like a winner, described as a Cab lover's Merlot.]

2012 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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It's nice to see more 2012 Napa Cabs starting to roll in as the rather unimpressive 2011s are hopefully beginning to cycle through.  2012 was a banner year, and when you see the Mondavi Cab available for only $19.99 at Costco, it's certainly worth exploring. This wine is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon obviously, but also contains […]

A Perspective on Wine Reviews and Point Scale Ratings

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I've wanted to outline some of my thoughts on wine reviews and wine ratings ever since I launched this site.  I'm a huge fan of wine, but my "expertise" doesn't extend much beyond that.  I don't have a degree related to vinology, I don't follow the weather in Bordeaux daily like serious wine nuts do, and […]

2010 Lincourt Chardonnay Courtneys

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I reviewed this wine more than a year ago, and really enjoyed it then at a price point of $14.99.  I was a little surprised to see the same wine, same vintage, back at Costco just this week with a price tag of almost half of the old one, only $8.99.  So it was an […]

2011 Chateau La Croix Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

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When I see a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru at Costco for $20 it automatically jumps into my cart.  I'm glad this one did.  Obviously seeing "Figeac" on the label makes this bottle even more attractive, and the fact that these grapes are grown near the premier Chateau Figeac, and not far from the super premier Chateau […]

2010 Chateau Doyac Haut Medoc

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We stumbled upon a Bordeaux (mostly Merlot) this X-mas season that convinced us that we MUST have been really good boys and girls this year because Santa delivered big time (We can’t help but wondering how many cases of this wine is being cellared in the North Pole). This is a mouth-watering, lip-smacking 2010 Bordeaux […]

2012 Luiano Chianti Classico

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To commemorate the publishing on our new book, Decoding Italian Wine: A Beginner’s Guide to Enjoying the Grapes, Regions, Practices and Culture of the “Land of Wine,” I will be reviewing a string of what I think (and hope) will be awesome Italian wines I found at Costco in December.  It looks like we're going to end […]

2010 Allegrini Veronese Palazzo Della Torre

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To commemorate the publishing on our new book, Decoding Italian Wine: A Beginner’s Guide to Enjoying the Grapes, Regions, Practices and Culture of the “Land of Wine,” I will be reviewing a string of what I think (and hope) will be awesome Italian wines I found at Costco in December. The Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre is a […]

2012 Le Volte dell'Ornellaia

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To commemorate the publishing on our new book, Decoding Italian Wine: A Beginner’s Guide to Enjoying the Grapes, Regions, Practices and Culture of the “Land of Wine,” I will be reviewing a string of what I think (and hope) will be awesome Italian wines I found at Costco in December.  This one jumped out at me as […]

2010 Chateau Hanteillan

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Our friends over The Fermented Fruit reviewed a Costco Bordeaux they enjoyed.  Click on over to read their review. I'm surprised I'm just now trying the Chateau Hanteillan 2010. Considering it received a solid 92 point score from Wine Enthusiast and is frequently touted by one of my favorite wine wholesalers: Wines Til Sold Out. They offer […]

CostcoWineBlog.com’s Highest Rated Wines of 2014

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At the end of every year we look back at the previous 12 months of reviews and assemble a list of the highest rated wines we enjoyed from Costco. But first let's take a quick look back at 2014, which was another big year for the site.  We moved to a new hosting platform and responsive design […]

2008 Villa di Capezzana Carmignano

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To commemorate the publishing on our new book, Decoding Italian Wine: A Beginner's Guide to Enjoying the Grapes, Regions, Practices and Culture of the "Land of Wine," I will be reviewing a string of what I think (and hope) will be awesome Italian wines I found at Costco in December.  I'll also throw in some tidbits from […]

2010 Manon La Lagune Bordeaux

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For those Costco shoppers that like to play “cat and mouse”, I think I’ve found a wine that Costco’s buyers tried to sneak by us. Hopefully, we can ensure that their sinister plot has failed. The evidence: A 2010 Bordeaux priced at $13.99. What I look for from a value-priced Bordeaux is a smooth, balanced […]

2014 Costco Wine Thanksgiving Picks

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It's always difficult to find the perfect Thanksgiving wine that everyone will unanimously agree pairs perfect with the hodge podge of food and flavors that are typically served on Thanksgiving tables around the country.  I tend to opt for a variety of different wines, and enjoy tasting them all at the same time with the […]

2012 Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir

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I adore this wine and it's hard to believe it's only $20.  Julia's Vineyard Pinot makes an occasional appearance at Costco and it's a must buy when it does.  Consistently year to year this Pinot overdelivers.  It's a big balanced and interestingly complex wine for its price range. Lively aromas, floral and peppery, the wine […]