Raise a glass with these top bargain wines from Costco
If you’re a wine fanatic, you already know Costco’s Kirkland brand wines are a great value. Some shell out $60 for the annual Costco membership just for the wine.
We roped in wine critic Owen Bargreen to review some of Costco’s best bargain vinos. While the herd stampedes for the toilet paper and bottled water, we would rather roll our cart down the wine aisle. (Priorities, people.)
Instead of a 100-point scale, we made the ranking more reader-friendly, grading each bottle “highly recommended,” “recommended” or “not recommended.”
NV Kirkland Signature Asolo Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. 11% alcohol; $6.99
Bargreen: It’s sourced from vineyards across Veneto, Italy, which literally could be anywhere. Baked apple with baking spices and shades of citrus rind fill the nose. I get layers of baked pear and apple mingled with a touch of marzipan and sourdough bread. Ready to drink between 2020 and 2024. Verdict: Highly recommended. NV Kirkland Signature Brut Champagne
12% alcohol; $19.99 Bargreen: It’s made by Champagne house Jannison, which is a grand cru site located in Verzenay, France. The ‘Brut’ is a proprietary blend of Meunier, pinot noir and chardonnay. Pretty orange blossom aromatics combine with ginger, white flowers and shades of freshly baked French bread, which all meld in the glass. Layers of Japanese pear and baking spices mingle with kumquat zest and star fruit tones with a dusting of salinity. Drink 2020-2025. Verdict: Highly recommended.
2020 Kirkland Signature “Ti Point” Sauvignon Blanc 12.5% alcohol; $6.99
Bargreen: The Kirkland Signature “Ti Point” Sauvignon Blanc is made by Tracy Haslam of Ti Point Wines in Marlborough, New Zealand. This shows gooseberry and kiwi tones that mingle with shades of green bell pepper on the nose. The flavors almost exactly mimic the aromas on the nose with some Gravenstein apple, stony accents and minerals. Drink 2020-2023. Verdict: Highly recommended.
2019 Kirkland Signature Sonoma County Chardonnay 13.5% alcohol; $7.99
Bargreen: It is impossible to ascertain where this wine is made, only a small mention of Geyserville, Calif., on the label. Vanilla bean with ripe pear and baked apple tones fill the nose. The palate is fresh with good balance and a soft mouthfeel. Layers of banana and vanilla cream are woven together with minerals and ripe peach on the palate. Drink 2020-2025. Verdict: Highly recommended.
2019 Kirkland Signature Malbec
14% alcohol; $6.99
Bargreen: Sourced from Mendoza, Argentina, the 2019 Malbec shows milk chocolate and tobacco leaf tones with blackberry compote on the nose. The palate is plush, showing a soft mouthfeel. Ripe black fruits collide with minerals, milk chocolate and smoky tones on the palate. Drink 2020-2025. Verdict: Highly recommended.
Kirkland Signature 10-YearOld Tawny Porto 20% alcohol; $16.99
Bargreen: Made by Fonseca Guimaraens, this 10-yearold tawny shows great value — velvety texture and ripe red plum, orange rind and raisin flavors mingle with red cherry cordially on the palate. It’s complex, fantastic and downright delicious now. This has a long life ahead of it. This is a classic style for a 10-year tawny. This would usually be priced more than 20 bucks. Drink 2020-2028. Verdict: Highly recommended.