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The Definitive Guide To Costco’s Kirkland Signature Wines

By: Author Editor

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Categories Features, Kirkland Wines

The Definitive Guide To Costco’s Kirkland Signature Wines

[originally published 5/2020; last update 6/2023]

One thing about shopping at Costco, which is on one hand the greatest thing ever, but simultaneously one of the most frustrating, is the idea of the “Costco find.”

The term can apply to a couple different types of “finds” too. First, you have the item you’ve never seen before but it’s priced low and it’s something you instantly must have. How did you live so long without it? Love those.

Next is the surprise item; that one thing you found a year or so ago but it disappeared after a week so you only had one chance to buy it. But wait, now it’s back, it includes 20% more than last time and you’re pumped.

I always picture someone inside corporate Costco with Mr. Burns’ fingers (not sure why) sitting around pushing buttons on what’s available and what’s not, rejoicing in controlling our obsession with the “Costco find.”

And Costco wine falls right into this same game, especially Costco’s Kirkland wines. Here’s how we’re going to do this.

We’re going to look at all of our past reviews and ratings over more than 10+ years to determine the average score across all vintages we have tasted, calculate the average price and try to ballpark a target month when the wines seem to have appeared based on my historical data.

Note: We are not including the Kirkland Prosecco or Champagne, as those are non vintage, widely available, and pretty consistent in taste and price year to year.

There’s a PDF download of the full chart at the end of this post. Ready to get into it? Here is a brief look at the highest rated Kirkland bottles from the list.

Kirkland Signature Pauillac Bordeaux

It’s a bummer that we haven’t seen a new vintage of this amazing wine appear in stores for more than five years. We hope it’s not gone for good. Please Costco, give us a surprise here. The Kirkland Pauillac Bordeaux is top notch for only $23 and it takes the cake at the top of our ratings with scores of 91 and 92. In the past it has appeared in stores in December-January. [our review]

Kirkland Signature Saint-Julien Bordeaux

Thankfully, while we don’t the Pauillac Bordeaux anymore, Costco gave us a similar gift with the introduction of the Kirkland Signature Saint-Julien Bordeaux, that we scored 91 points. We hope to see more vintages of this one hit stores, and have high hopes for it. The price is right too at $19. [our review]

Kirkland Signature Oakville Cabernet

We love this wine and its $20 price tag is hard to beat compared to other wines from this premier region of Napa Valley. Average score over the years is 91 points and you can expect this wine to hit in the March time frame. [2020 Oakville review]

Kirkland Signature Suscol Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

We only have three vintages of this reletively new Kirkland offering, but it’s one of the best in the portfolio. Average score of 91 points from us. $16.99 price tag is amazing for a wine like this. [2020 vintage review]

Kirkland Signature Brunello

Wide range of scores for the Kirkland Brunello over the years, ranging from 92 points for the amazing 2010 vintage to a low of 86 the following vintage (2011). The price has been creeping up too reaching a high of $27. But then the latest vintage came out and it was back down to $20. Expect to see it in warehouses in November. [2017 Kirkland Brunello]

2019 Kirkland Signature Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

Another winner from Napa, this wine just keeps getting better. $19 and 92 points on the past two vintages from us. Can’t beat it. Look for it in the December timeframe. [2019 vintage review]

Kirkland Signature Barolo

And finally on the list of top wines, another relative newcomer to the Kirkland portfolio, the Kirkland Barolo. A favorite of ours, and one of our reader favorites as well. 92-93 points from us, and a $20 price tag. Great juice here. [2017 vintage review]

Now…The Definitive Guide to Costco’s Kirkland Wines

Here is the full historical data we pulled to base these calculations on. This will also show the price increase/decrease year to year. We did our best to approximate the target month, erring on the side of early rather later when it wasn’t clear with the data.​

Here’s a PDF download of the chart that some readers requested so they can save it to their phones.

WineVintageRatingPriceMonthAv RatingAv Release
Chianti Classico 2020858.99Feb87Mar / Apr?
2019878.99July
2018877.99May
2017868.49Oct
2016878.49April
 2015888.49June
 2014888.49Apr
 2013888.49Mar
Ti Point Sauv Blanc2019876.99Apr88April
 2014887.99May
Sonoma Old Vine Zin 2019889.99July?
2018899.99Oct
2017889.99Apr
 2015909.99Jan
 2013879.99Mar
Suscol Napa Cabernet20209116.99Apr91April
20199116.99June
20189116.99Apr
Oakville Cabernet20209019.99Feb91Feb / Mar
20199119.99Mar
20189119.99Feb
20179019.99Mar
 20169018.99Feb
 20159118.99Apr
Barolo20179319.99Feb92Feb / Mar
20169219.99Mar
20159219.99Mar
Mendoza Malbec2021886.99Dec87Dec?
2020886.99Dec
2019876.99Oct
2018876.99Feb
 2017856.99Sept
 2015866.99Aug
Russian River Pinot Noir20218911.99Dec87Jan?
20198612.99Jan
20168712.99May
20158512.99Apr
20148612.99Apr
Willamette Pinot Noir20208912.99Apr89April / May
20198912.99May
20189014.99Apr
20178914.99Feb
Gigondas20209013.99Nov88Oct
20198614.99Jan
20188814.99Dec
20178614.99Feb
 20168814.99Oct
 20158714.99Sept
Brunello20179019.99Nov90Oct / Nov
20169119.99Sept
20158926.99Nov
20148826.99Nov
 20138826.99Nov
 20128724.99Oct
 20118624.99Sept
 20109224.99Jan
Stags Leap Cabernet20199123.99Aug90Sept
20189123.99Sept
20178923.99Oct
 20168921.99Sept
 20148819.99Aug
 20139019.99Sept
Cotes du Rhone Villages2021886.99Oct88Oct
2020856.99Mar
2019896.99Nov
2018896.99Oct
 2017886.99Oct
 2016876.99Sept
 2015876.99Sept
 2013886.99Aug
Napa Red Blend20209010.99Sept88Sept / Oct
20198910.99Oct
20188610.99Oct
20168610.99Sept
 20158610.99Nov
 20148610.99Apr
 20128710.99Dec
Pinot Grigio Friuli2020874.99Jan87?
2019865.99May
2018885.99Sept
 2017855.99Aug
K Vine Cabernet20208913.99May89May
Columbia Valley Red Blend20208816.99Dec88Dec
Columbia Valley Cabernet2020888.99June88July?
2019888.99Apr
2018888.99Dec
2017888.99Aug
 2016888.99Aug
Sancerre20208914.99Mar90March
20199015.99Mar
Russian River Chardonnay20218612.99June87June
20198912.99June
20188712.99June
20178712.99July
 20168612.99June
 20158712.99Dec
 20148812.99May
 20138712.99June
Kirkland Boxed Cabernet20178412.99June
Carneros Pinot Noir 2020859.99Aug88July?
2019899.99May
2018899.99July
2017909.99May
 2016899.99Aug
Cotes de Provence Rose 2022897.99May90May / June
2021908.59July
2020908.69July
2019899.99May
2018898.99May
 2017909.49Apr
 2016908.99Apr
Rioja Reserva2018897.89May88April / May
2017897.99Apr
2016887.99Mar
2015887.99July
2014886.99Apr
 2013886.99May
 2012876.99Feb
 2010886.99Jan
Premier Cru Chablis20209017.49Jan89Feb
20199017.79Mar
20188919.99Jan
20168817.99Feb
 20148714.99May
Bordeaux Superior2020876.99Dec87Jan
2019886.99Feb
2018857.99Jan
2016877.99Jan
 2015877.99Dec
Rutherford Cabernet20199218.99Jan91Jan / Dec
20189218.99Dec
20168917.99Jan
Ribera del Duero20149013.99Dec90Dec
20129013.99Dec
 20119012.99Sept
Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 20219019.69May90May / June
20209019.99June
20198821.99May
20189020.99June
20169017.99July
 20158919.99May
 20148819.99Sept
 20139319.99May
 20129119.99July
 20119219.99July
Alexander Valley Cabernet 2018889.99Aug87Aug
2015879.99July
 2014879.99Aug
 2013869.99Oct
 2012838.99Oct
Toscana20198714.99Oct88Oct?
20148813.99Apr
Saint-Julien Bordeaux20199118.69Jan91Jan
Pauillac Bordeaux20159222.99Jan92Dec
 20149122.99Dec

​​If you’re interested in even more Kirkland wine reviews, view our full archive.

And don’t forget to sign up for our emails (2X/week) so you can be the first in the know on new Costco wine reviews. We value you as a subscriber and won’t share or spam ever.

Cheers everyone.

Barbara

Tuesday 15th of August 2023

Does Costco have a time of year for Kirkland Signature 10 year Tawny Porto? I have been unable to find it for the past 4 months.

Hugh

Friday 25th of August 2023

Hi Barbara,

I've stocked up on that the past of couple of years - I seem to remember getting it over the holidays so look out for it from Oct onwards.

Colleen

Tuesday 25th of May 2021

I’m new to Costcowines. Whose wine rating do they use for their wine ratings? I couldn’t find a citation. Thanks for your help!

Editor

Tuesday 25th of May 2021

Hi, Costco uses quite a few different critics on their placard signs that accompany the wines in store. That includes James Suckling, Decanter, wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast

John Jannis

Monday 19th of April 2021

Your Kirkland wines historic roundup is very useful and appreciated. However, it reflects a Costco wines imbalance (IMO), a much lesser emphasis on white wines. Here in SC the imbalance is not only in terms of whites vs. reds but that about three quarters of their white wine stock is west coast chardonnay, not a favorite in our house. This is a pretty extreme tilt and not one that I would have thought was conducive to max overall sales. Anyway, we are strong fans of their red wine selections and also the French chardonnays. I guess we will have to buy most of our whites elsewhere. Would like to have your thoughts on this.

Editor

Monday 19th of April 2021

Hi John, totally agree. The intro of the Kirkland Sancerre was a step in the right direction. I'd love to see some more Kirkland whites appear from Spain and Italy. Also a Kirkland Gruner Veltliner and Riesling would make really nice additions.

Richard Smit

Monday 19th of April 2021

What about Costco’s 10 year old Tawny Port??

David

Saturday 20th of March 2021

Hi Folks. I frequently look at the ratings of the wines and believe the gold standard is Wine Spectator. The others, i.e.. Wine Enthusiast, and others just don't seem credible/accurate to me. I'd love to hear my fellow wine drinkers opinions. Thank you David

Comments are closed.