Antinori is one of the biggest names in Italian wine, and they offer many different levels of wine with some of their bottles running up into the several hundreds of dollars.  This is one of their lower priced offerings (the lowest perhaps), and with that Antinori name behind it, the wine is a standout in its price range.

I have a special place for Antinori in my wine history as I was lucky enough to taste the 1998 Antinori Solaia several years ago, which went down as one of the most delicious and special wines I had ever had.  Granted it’s worth a few hundred bucks (and even more now), but it was worth every penny and it raised my bar for fine wine. I have sought out Antinori wines ever since.

This entry level Antinori is only $12.99 at Costco, and hits stores right on the cusp of the Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre, another fantastic Italian bargain buy at Costco for the same price.  Between the two you really can’t go wrong, but I may prefer the Allegrini by a hair.

This wine starts with a musty, very Italian wine nose, which we typically refer to as “library book.”  It’s a simple wine in the mouth, yet satisfying for the price.  Medium plus in body with good acidity, the wine is ready to be enjoyed right now.  Cherry, red fruit, Nibs flavor with peppery spice into an ultra dry finish.

This bottle clearly drinks above its pay grade.  Costco’s price is really good too.  It’s on Wine.com for $25 but closer to $15-$16 elsewhere online.  I think this is a tremendous value buy and one I plan to stock up on.  Great wine for pizza night or mid week meals.  Chianti fans will love it.  Plus 90+ point ratings from the critics just about every year.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 points 

Costco item number: 799299

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Alc. 13.5%

The post 2016 Villa Antinori Toscana appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

Several readers alerted us last week that this new Kirkland offering was hitting Costco store shelves, and I was able to find it this weekend.

The price for this Barolo is $19.99, which falls right in the ballpark where we see many higher end Kirkland wines (Pauillac Bordeaux, Chateauneuf, Brunello, Champagne).  In each case the Kirkland price is a fraction what you would normally pay for wines from these premier regions.

I couldn’t wait to taste it, and I’m happy to report that it hit me right on all fronts.  This is a delicious wine for the money and a nice new addition to the Kirkland family of wines.  Barolo wines start at $30 (and sometimes aren’t that great), and go up from there into the several hundred dollars a bottle.  So for $20, we have found a winner here.

The wine pours a medium garnet color and it is light enough that you can slightly see through it in the glass.  On the nose is dried red fruit and a little spice; medium plus in body with flavors of spicy black cherry, a little blackberry, some anise and pepper towards the finish that is ultra dry.

The back of the label doesn’t offer up too much information on the producer, but I did see a little hint around the top of the bottle.  There’s a band around the top with the name Simone Tablino written in cursive. (Pretty sure that’s what it says, but if anyone sees that differently, let us know).

I tried Googling the name (and some other variations) along with “Barolo” and other related search terms but didn’t come up with a lot. The main link I found was to a collection of wine reviews written by someone with that name.  So I’m not sure what that represents, and remain kind of curious about it.

Overall, I’m really happy to see this new Kirkland offering and it’s offered at a very fair price.  Italian wine fans will find a lot to like here, and this bottle makes makes it easy to enjoy a really nice wine more often than just a special occasion when you might be paying two or three times as much for a wine like this.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 92 points (a Costco Wine Top Pick)

Costco item number: 1355183

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Alc. 14%

The post 2015 Kirkland Signature Barolo appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

Editor’s Note: Obviously, these are crazy times to be shopping at Costco, and every trip means braving long lines like we’ve never seen before. I’ve made a few trips to purchase wine (and other staples) but depending on how long this situation remains we might not be able to acquire wine regularly to maintain our twice a week posting schedule on this site. So bear with us as we move to a more delayed review schedule, posting reviews when we can, and hopefully we will be back to normal, or closer to normal, sooner rather than later.

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on three bottles of this wine, not having any back knowledge about the wine.

First off, we’re looking at a DOCG Chianti Classico for only $8.99. Odds are pretty good that this will be a decent wine for the money. Plus I’m only out $27 if it stinks, and maybe I can sneak it into a dinner party sometime. Since we’re all hunkered down right now too, finding a nice $9 bottle to buy in quantity would be a big win.

Wine Spectator went 92 points, and Decanter went a whopping 95 points (but the latter is always a bit high). Ok, I’m feeling pretty good. The Kirkland Chianti that was just re-released is right down the row from this bottle, and I could have made a safe switch, but didn’t. I wanted to try this one too much.

It’s also a 2015 vintage, which is a huge year for Italian wine and I hoped that it would add the early touches of a little age to the wine. And that became apparent on the pour.

The wine is a nice medium ruby red with a hint of age starting to appear around the edges, slightly see through in the glass. I knew right on the first sip that this was exactly what I was hoping for – a high quality Chianti at a great price.

Nose of dried red fruit, perfume and baking spices; in the mouth, medium in body, loads of spicy black cherry, some pepper, dusty finish, nice acidity.

I’m a big fan of this wine at this price. Online it appears to go for closer to $15, so I love Costco’s price. If you like classic Italian reds, this is a no brainer and I’d suggest stocking up. I’m glad I have two more but have a feeling these might move through pretty quickly. A good pick to stock up on for the “coronovirus” lock down.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 points

Costco item number: 558511

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Alc. 13%

The post 2015 Castello di Albola Chianti Classico appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

We always love to see the newest vintage of this Kirkland classic arrive in warehouses.

Ironically, just a few months ago we saw an unexpected restock of the 2015 vintage in stores around the Atlanta area, which disappeared pretty fast. It goes to show, you just never know what you will find at Costco.

Good news for this 2016 vintage is the price has stayed the same, at the unbelievably low $8.49, which makes this still rather simple, DOCG Riserva Chianti hard to resist. It is once again produced by Villa Cafaggio, as indicated on the back of the label.

The wine pours a pale garnet in the glass and you can see through it; dusty nose with dried red fruit; flavors of black cherry, anise, pepper with a super dry finish that is very lasting. The finish is pretty impressive for such an inexpensive wine.

In our review of the 2015 vintage we said the wine was “clean and light,” and that’s exactly how this one felt too. It’s a pretty simple wine, easy to just throw back without paying much attention. Perfect for a Wednesday night Italian dish, or pizza night. The nice long finish helps.

Overall, while our tasting notes for the 2016 vintage are similar to what we said about the 2015, I’m going to drop the wine down one point from 88 to 87. That’s just how it hit me this year.

But this remains a great price on a very drinkable wine. Give it a minimum of a 30 minute decant too. It was a little closed right out of the bottle.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 points

Costco item number: 944010

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Alc. 13%

The post 2016 Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

This is an interesting wine and a good choice when you want something a little different. It’s “kind of” an Italian style red because the blend is led by Sangiovese, but it’s also very new world in how the wine tastes. And I would say it will be more satisfying to the new world drinker, over the old.

The full varietal breakdown (couldn’t find the %’s) is Sangiovese, Malbec, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. I’m surprised it didn’t have Zinfandel in it; as you read my tasting notes, it sounds like a Zinfandel blend.

But the first thing to note is Costco’s price of $12.99. That’s the lowest I’ve ever seen for this wine that retails for $22 and online it’s only a little less, around $18.

And it turned out to be a pretty good drink at that price. I didn’t feel it was in the 90 point range that I saw many of the critics handed out for some of the prior vintages, but for $13, it’s good buy.

The wine starts with big fruit jumping out of the glass; this is not a shy or restrained wine. Get ready. Spicy blueberry and blackberry, black cherry flavors; it is jammy like a Zin and tasted kind of like the very first bite of a jammy piece of toast.

The wine switches over from the big fruit into a more subtle finish; there’s a touch of spice. Juicy, young and fresh throughout. Definitely a wine for fans of big, multi-varietal blends and rich Zinfandels (the Saldo Zin comes to mind).

Give it a little air time after opening so it can chill out, and it would best be enjoyed with food that can stand up to its size: most red meat, steaks, meatballs, grilled meats, ribs, would all be good choices.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 points

Costco item number: 135936

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 14.5%

The post 2017 Ferrari-Carano Siena Red Blend appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

I had a couple readers write in to recommend trying this Tuscan red blend that just showed up in Costco stores near me. The price was right at only $8.99 and Banfi is a huge name in Tuscan wine, especially Brunello, so I was interested to see how this affordable red would stack up.

The price online is around $12 (Wine.com and Wine Enthusiast), and I noticed some really strong scores for the wine. 90 points from Suckling and Wine Spectator; 87 from Wine Enthusiast. Also note the blend is 60% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Getting into the wine, it’s immediately apparent this is a fresh and fruity red; red fruit on the nose, the wine is medium in body; flavors of cherry, raspberry and strawberry; a touch of herbs and vanilla into a good juicy finish, but not as dusty as I like from many of these Italian wines.

Overall, this is wine is enjoyable and rather simple. Totally fair for the price, and it would make a good everyday table wine for almost any meal. Wine Spectator says drink through 2028, which I think is a little ambitious. I would drink this one right now.

I feel the 90 point scores are a little much, and am going to fall in the 87 point range as Wine Enthusiast did. For fans of basic Super Tuscans, and Chianti, you will like this one for only $9.

I might buy a few more to have on hand as it really is the perfect table wine for those days (especially during these Covid times) when you want to put a bottle on the table, just because.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 points

Costco item number: 737603

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 13.5%

The post 2017 Banfi Centine Toscana appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

This is an interesting Costco wine pick, and I’m glad that I was able to go out there, buy this, taste it and report back to you because it might really appeal to some of you, while not being favored by others.

There’s little description to be had on the Costco placards, but the price is right at only $7.99, so no matter what you’re not really out much if this wine doesn’t appeal to you.

And I’ll put it out there up front, there’s a slight effervescence, and a little bit of sweetness. If those elements turn you off, skip this one, and look for something else.

I can dig the bubbles but I’m not big on the sweetness, but I found this one to be ok overall, particularly if you’re poolside, on a beach or consuming this bottle in some hot weather (before it’s gone).

I’m also not sure what varietals this rosé is made from, and couldn’t find it online. Trying to decode this bottle, the back label gives the only clue to the effervescence, “Vino Frizzante” which is semi sparkling, compared to Spumante that is more bubbly.

The wine is a nice salmon color in the glass; not kicking out a lot on the nose, but once you dig in there’s tons of strawberry, like we said before, light on the effervescence, kind of like a Prosecco spiked with strawberry juice.

The wine is crisp and refreshing. Hint of the sweetness at the finish, which might turn off a few people, but I didn’t think it was too much.

This is a nice summertime wine pick, at a very affordable price. Fans of Brut rosé might like this as might Prosecco fans looking for a slightly different angle. Pair with sun and water.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 points

Costco item number: 1415364

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 11%

The post NV Santo Rosé appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

I’ve always been curious about this European wine box that first showed up last year near me, but seemed to sell out fairly fast (and before I had a chance to grab one). It’s back this year, at $29.99 which is the same price I believe as the prior year with a similar sampling of wines from France, Spain, Italy and Portugal.

It’s taken me a little while to dig through these wines because I’ve spent the last week engulfed in the Wine Advent Calendars. But having opened all four of these bottles, I can say this box is one you might want to put on your list too. It’s quite the value for the money, figuring you’re only paying $7.50/bottle.

So here’s what’s inside with some quick tasting notes.

2018 Haut Vignobles Bordeaux
This is a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend; the wine is medium bodied, nice cherry fruit, plum flavor, dry and oaky finish. A nice Bordeaux.

2018 Campo al Moro Toscana
This is a 100% Sangiovese; pours a medium garnet in the glass; medium bodied, nice in the mouth and fruit forward; round cherry flavor; peppery in the finish; A perfect pizza wine.

2016 Tierra de Palacio Crianza
This wine is 100% Tempranillo; pours a medium ruby with dried fruit, cranberry on the nose; spicy black cherry, plum, cranberry flavors; finishes dry.

2019 Convento do Gloria
This wine is from Lisbon, Portugal and is comprised of 100% Tinto Roriz; it is pale purple on the pour, medium in body with dark fruit, blueberry and blackberry flavors; a touch of oak into a sticky finish.  Nice wine.

The box this set comes in is pretty cool too. It’s made in Bordeaux, and is sealed shut, so you have to pry it open to get the wines out (easily done with a flathead screwdriver).

I’m not going to assign a rating for these wines. In my opinion, they would each land in that 86-88 point ballpark, which is pretty impressive at $7.50 a bottle.

Each wine is very reflective of its origin, and the box provides exactly what it promises, a nice tour of Europe with curated wine selections from many of the top areas. Enjoy.

Costco item number: 1480452

If you’re interested in the wines of Europe and want to learn more about them in a quick, fun, easily digestible and non intimidating way, don’t forget to check out our beginner guides on French wine, Spanish Wine and Italian wine.

This wine was received as a sample for the purpose of writing this review. All reviews are written at the discretion of the individual reviewer. Opinions of the reviewer do not necessarily reflect those of CostcoWineBlog.com as a whole, and reviewers are not paid for their reviews by wineries or their affiliated distributors. We at CostcoWineBlog.com believe that wine preferences and opinions are often subjective and highly individualistic. Our scores are based on our individual perception of a wine and how well it reflects the area in which the grapes are grown, the expression of the grapes, and also the quality of the finished product. We remind readers that we are 100% independent of Costco Wholesale Corporation, and are simply of a group of Costco wine fans looking to try new wines and share our favorites with this community.

The post Costco 4 Bottle European Wine Tour Boxed Set appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

And…we have another popular Kirkland bottle hitting store shelves in a brand vintage: the dependable, but not unbelievable, Kirkland Chianti Riserva.

The Kirkland Chianti is one of those mid-pack Kirkland wines that are priced right, they’re ok for an average meal or pizza night, but they just leave a little to be desired. Similar to the Kirkland Malbec that we just took a look at, these mid-pack offerings usually fall into the 86-88 point range for us.

This Chianti always gets me though because it has so much going for it with the way that it’s dressed up. It’s a DOCG wine vs the lesser DOC designation. It’s a Chianti Classico, which is not a classic version of Chianti but rather the premier area within the Chianti region. And it’s a Riserva which requires additional aging of the wine.

Typically that checks most of the big boxes for Chianti wines, and bottles that do usually cost a lot more than Costco’s $8.49 price tag. Like years past, this wine is once again produced by Villa Cafaggio, as indicated on the back of the label.

It pours a medium garnet in color with pepper and dried red fruit nose; medium plus in body with flavors of cherry, pomegranate, cranberry; nice acidity into a dry finish.

This is a decent wine, drinkable and ok for the price but not what you expect from a wine with all the right markings on the bottle. I felt this drank more like a basic everyday Chianti, which isn’t a bad thing, or even unfair for the price. I just would like to see a little more, and quite frankly I’d be willing to pay a couple bucks more for a bump in quality.

Be sure to decant or pour in a glass for 30 minutes before consuming as the wine was super tight right out of the bottle.  I’m going to drop my rating one level to 86 points. We went 87 points on the last vintage and 88 points for the one before that. Let’s hope we can reverse this trend when the ‘2018 vintage arrives.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 86 points

Costco item number: 944010

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Alc. 13.5%

The post 2017 Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

The Kirkland Brunello is a welcome find when it hits Costco shelves, and it’s always nice to see the price stay consistent from the prior vintage at $26.99. 

Like the Kirkland Chateauneuf-du-pape and Kirkland Barolo (both priced just a little lower), this bottle offers access to one of the top wine regions in the world at a price well below most other bottles that you’ll find. 

And over recent years, we’ve steadily enjoyed this one more and more.  Here’s a recap of our ratings on the previous vintages of the Kirkland Brunello, starting with the “out of this world good” 2010 vintage.

2010 – 92-93 points

2011 – 86 points

2012 – 87 points

2013 – 88 points

2014 – 88 points

I’m happy to report that the 2015 vintage is very strong, and will tick us up one more point on the chart, to 89 points.

Tasting notes this year as similar to prior years, but I thought this wine had a touch more finesse and depth compared to the 2013 and 2014. 

The wine pours a pale to medium purple in the glass; dusty and peppery on the nose, but a little more vibrant than the 2014.  The wine is medium in body, nice and light in the mouth, and packed with flavor.

Loads of spicy cherry with plum and espresso; a touch of pepper; the wine is tannic and acidic as you would expect. Super dry into the finish. 

I’m enjoying the vintage quite a bit, and while it’s drinking nice right now, this is one you could lay down for a few more years.  Let’s hope we continue to see the upward trajectory in quality in future vintages of this wine.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 points

Costco item number: 1001151

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 14%

The post 2015 Kirkland Signature Series Brunello di Montalcino appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

Here’s an interesting wine that came our way, a Prosecco Rosé, which is something I’ve never tasted before and after poking around online, I learned this is a pretty recent addition to the wine world.

As many of you know, Prosecco is made from the Glera grape, and what they did with the Prosecco Rosé was add 10 to 15 percent Pinot Noir.  Also note that the Prosecco Rosé carries a vintage designation with it (2019), whereas most Prosecco is non-vintage, often indicated by NV in the title.

We’re big fans of brut rosé, so had high hopes that this bottle would deliver the goods, and it did.  This is a fun wine, super accessible, and just ready to be popped for some many occasions.  The price at Costco is $8.99, which is great for what’s inside.

The wine pours a medium salmon color in the glass, with pronounced strawberry and raspberry flavors.  The wine is light and gentle in the mouth with a nice mild effervescence.  Really easy going, and a wine that would be perfect before or after a meal, or just fine on its own.  It goes down fast.

I think with the holidays approaching there will be plenty of opportunities to pop a bottle like this.  And now I look forward to seeing hopefully more Prosecco Rosé gracing our shelves.  I have a feeling this is going to be a popular new offering.  I know it will be in our household.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 points

Costco item number: 1509215

Alc. 11%

This wine was received as a sample for the purpose of writing this review. All reviews are written at the discretion of the individual reviewer. Opinions of the reviewer do not necessarily reflect those of CostcoWineBlog.com as a whole, and reviewers are not paid for their reviews by wineries or their affiliated distributors. We at CostcoWineBlog.com believe that wine preferences and opinions are often subjective and highly individualistic. Our scores are based on our individual perception of a wine and how well it reflects the area in which the grapes are grown, the expression of the grapes, and also the quality of the finished product. We remind readers that we are 100% independent of Costco Wholesale Corporation, and are simply of a group of Costco wine fans looking to try new wines and share our favorites with this community.

The post 2019 La Gioiosa Prosecco Rose DOC appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

This is the type of wine we are all on the look out for at Costco.  A solid red, from an underappreciated region, produced from organic grapes, with high ratings, at a great Costco price.

That underappreciated region is Italy’s Abruzzo, which doesn’t get mainstream love like a Chianti or Super Tuscan, but it should because the wines I’ve tasted have been delicious.  We even wrote a book about Italian wines, which helped deepen our appreciation for this area (and many other wines from Italy of course).

This wine is produced from the Montepulciano wine grape (at least 85%).  The other 15% can be Sangiovese; and on the white side Abruzzo is known for Trebbiano, another great buy to put in your back pocket if you come across them.

I mentioned the great Costco price which was $11.99.  A quick check turns up a retail price of around $17, and I found the wine online at Wine.com for $15.  So I’m super happy with where Costco landed this one.

In the glass the wine is a medium ruby in color with dried red fruit and herbs on nose.  It starts with cherry flavors and then moves into more plum and dark fruit; rustic and earthy, the wine is medium in body with nice acidity; toward the finish there’s a little pepper and spice.

This is a great little package for sure that Italian red wine fans will enjoy whether as an everyday table bottle or pizza night.  It has the bonus of organically produced grapes, and several high ratings from the critics including 94 points from Vinous, which is really generous, but a nice endorsement. 

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 points

Costco item number: 347933

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Woodstock)

Alc. 12.5%

The post 2018 Valle Reale Montepulciano d’Abruzzo appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

It might be wintertime, when hearty red wines seem to really hit the spot, at least for me, but it’s fun to sprinkle in the occasional white wine. When I found the latest vintage of this Italian Gavi at my Costco, I didn’t hesitate.

We first reviewed this wine about a year ago, in the 2017 vintage, and really enjoyed it.  Great news for the latest 2018 vintage is that there’s actually a price drop; sure it’s only $1 but we’ll take it.  So this wine that was excellent before at $12.99 is now $11.99.  Retail price seems to be around $20, so this is a steep Costco discount.

Gavi is a one of the wines I have a feeling too many people pass on, maybe because they’re not sure what it is, but they really should think twice. 

Gavi originates from Italy’s famed Piedmont area in the northwestern part of the country, and the wine is made from the Cortese grape.  Granted it’s not your typical Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, but it’s really worth exploring.  I have a feeling many white wine drinkers who are not familiar with it, will fall in the love with the varietal once they try a few.

My tasting notes on this vintage are somewhat similar to the prior year.  The wine pours a medium gold in the glass; stone fruit on the nose, the wine is medium in body; crisp in the mouth with flavors of citrus fruit, apricot, peach and a little pineapple. Nice acidity throughout; I picked up a touch of orange liquor on the finish.

This is really a delicious wine that I might buy a few more of for the summer months.  It’s attracted some nice ratings too from James Suckling including 93 points for this current vintage, up from his previous 92 points.  Like I usually say, just a little generous.

White wine fans: don’t be afraid to drop this one in your cart.  I’m going to keep my rating the same on this one, a respectable 88 points with an encouragement to buy.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 points

Costco item number: 1372090

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 13.5%

The post 2018 Ottosoldi Gavi appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

Earlier this year we saw the introduction of a Kirkland Signature Barolo for $20 that we loved. Who would guess that a few months later, Costco would stock another Barolo priced even lower than that?

Barolo wines just don’t get priced this low so I was a little skeptical going in, but also excited at the prospect that this might be a great find. Suckling gave the wine 91 points. Retail price looks to be about $30 and it’s available online for $25. So Costco’s price is really good.

This is a 2014 vintage (the Kirkland Barolo was 2015), and this wine is ready to drink now; all the aging is done for you. My tasting notes are super similar to the Kirkland Barolo, and in the end I’m going to say they are both right in the same ballpark in terms of quality.

This wine pours a medium garnet in the glass showing it’s got a little age on it; nose of liqueur and black licorice. I love how Barolos feel in the mouth, lighter in body but with massive flavor.

Big spicy cherry flavor. Acidic and dry into the finish. The spice really sticks around.  What a find for $15. I rated the Kirkland Barolo 92 points, and am going to bring this one in just a tad lower at 91 and will add to our Top Picks.

Barolo just isn’t priced this low, ever. So I’m sure a few of you were skeptical as well, but I like what we tasted. This is a great score at Costco right now, and definitely a bottle that surprised me.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 91 points (a CostcoWineBlog Top Pick)

Costco item number: 1453823

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 13.5%

The post 2014 Covalli Barolo appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

We heard from readers a week ago that the 2016 vintage of the Kirkland Barolo was showing up in stores, and that was music to our ears.

The 2015 vintage, which came out exactly a year ago, was the inaugural vintage of this new Kirkland wine, and we welcomed it with open arms.

The price then was $19.99 and the wine was delicious, earning an easy 92 point rating from us.  I think this is one of those rare instances where our scores align with wine pro James Suckling, who according to the Costco placard, awarded both the 2015 and 2016 vintage 92 points.

The first question with the arrival of the new vintage was whether the price would increase.  Happily, it did not, staying strong at $19.99 which is a steal for a Barolo of this caliber.

I wrote this year’s tasting notes without reviewing my notes on the ’15, and they turned out almost identical.  Both ’15 and ’16 were strong vintages for Barolo, and both bottles are an excellent expression of them.  If you enjoyed the previous vintage, I imagine you will love this one as well.

This wine pours a pale garnet in the glass, lightly see through; juicy cherry on nose with flavors of earthy black cherry in the mouth along with notes of anise; some toast and vanilla into the finish. The wine is medium plus to full in body, and finishes dusty, dry and lingering.

The first word that came to mind after I finished my first glass was “exquisite.”  This is a really an excellent wine and amazing at this price.  There’s good aging potential here too so I might try to pop one in the cellar for a Cellar Series write up down the line.  I think it will be interesting to taste again in 5-10 years.

My rating is staying the same at 92 points, and obviously this will appear on our Top Picks list.  You might want to scoop up a few of these while you have the chance, as they might move pretty fast.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 92 points (a Costco Wine Top Pick)

Costco item number: 1355183

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 14%

NOTE: in case you missed it, and if you love Kirkland wines like this Barolo, don’t miss our recently updated mega-story, The Definitive Guide To Costco’s Kirkland Signature Wines.

NOTE 2: if you love Italian wines and want a quick, fun, easy to read and super informative guide to Italian wine regions, varietals and wine-making practices, don’t miss our book: Decoding Italian Wine.

The post 2016 Kirkland Signature Barolo appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

Here’s a white wine that grabbed my attention.  I don’t drink a lot of Pinot Grigio, but this bottle was $11.99 at Costco and proudly displayed its 91 points from Wine Enthusiast. Turns out they also named the wine an “Editor’s Choice.”

Retail price on this bottle is around $20, and my Total Wine carries it for $17.49 so Costco’s price is definitely the best around. 

The wine hails from the Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT which is in the famed Trentino-Alto Adige region in the northern part of Italy bordering Austria and Switzerland.  This is a great area for high quality Pinot Grigio, and this bottle turned out to be a perfect example of that.

The wine is a pale gold in color with mild lemon and citrus aromas; it is medium body with great flavor, lemon, green apple, pear, a touch of honey and light caramel; crisp acidity, nice finish. 

Just a super easy going and refreshing wine that is a step up from the otherwise bland Pinot Grigio you frequently encounter.  I would put this in the bucket of “Pinot Grigio for non-Pinot Grigio fans.”  It’s ideal for summer drinking, poolside or on a beach, and be warned, it goes down fast.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 points

Costco item number: 484217

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 12.5%

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There are quite a few new vintages of popular Kirkland wines hitting stores right now.  This Chianti is always an interesting find for us that we are anxious to taste but never super excited about.

Right off the bat though there’s some good news, a price drop.  For as long as I can remember this wine has been $8.49 so I was surprised to see the new 2018 vintage land in stores for $7.99.  It’s a small amount, but the lowering of the first digit might spur a few more sales.

We’ve always felt this bottle was on the mediocre side of things, and our historical ratings showing it gradually trending downwards.

2013 88 points

2014 88 points

2015 88 points

2016 87 points

2017 86 points

We did feel this year was a slight step up, back to 2016 levels.

The wine pours a medium ruby in color with black cherry and earth on the nose; in the mouth is more black cherry, a touch of anise, mostly dark fruit with firm tannins; the wine is acidic and dry in the finish.

Overall, the first word that comes to mind is once again “basic.”  This is Chianti-lite but it is still very pleasant all around; it just lacks depth.

You could do a lot worse, and for $8 it is exactly what you think it is. An inexpensive, drinkable Chianti, perhaps a little better than last year and still a good choice for Tuesday pizza night. Try one before you buy more.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 points

Costco item number: 944010

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Alc. 13.5%

The post 2018 Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

Here’s a fun Costco wine find that we were super curious about. 

You don’t see a ton of Italian Pinot Noir out there; plus this wine originated from Italy’s famed Piedmont region, where you also find a number of high caliber reds.

The price was great at $7.49 and the Costco placard proudly displayed the 92 points that James Suckling gave to the wine.  Since he often seems to skew two or three points higher than we do, we were hoping this one would come in around 88-89 points, and that’s exactly what happened.

The wine pours a medium ruby in the glass with ripe fruit and a little earth and oak on the nose; flavors are a nice contrast of red and dark fruit, black cherry, raspberry, wild strawberry.

The wine is medium plus in body with some earthy, rustic notes into the finish; good acidity.  A very nice wine all around.

It’s really hard to find quality Pinot Noir under $8, even at Costco, but this bottle might just be the one.  An excellent value with enough heft to satisfy fans of bigger red wines too. 

If you’re looking for a high value summer white wine for $8 at Costco, check out our recent review of the 2019 Zolo Chardonnay.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 points

Costco item number: 1542159

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

The post 2019 Monte Degli Angeli Piemonte Pinot Noir appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

On the heels of a rather tasty Italian Pinot Noir (Monte Degli Angeli Piemonte) that we scored at Costco for $7.47, how appropriate that we find and review another Italian Pinot Noir from Costco?

This one is a little more expensive at $12.69 and comes to us from the Veneto region, known for some popular Valpolicella reds including Amarone, popular whites like Soave and even Prosecco made with the Glera grape.

So it was kind of fun to find a Pinot Noir from this area.  Compared to the last Italian Pinot we reviewed, the two bottles are a little different in style, but both are nice expressions of their terroir, and both recommended.

This wine pours a medium to dark ruby in the glass with ripe red cherry on the nose; it is medium plus body with more cherry, pomegranate and blackberry flavor; nice contrast of fruit; healthy does of acidity and very delicious into the finish.

This is a very elegant wine, and a little more refined than the Monte Degli Angeli Piemonte Pinot that we found a hair more on the rustic, earthy side of things.

You might be wondering what that little note says that’s rolled up like a treasure map at the neck of the bottle.  It turns out to be a nice overview of the winery’s history and approach to winemaking.  Skip the picture below if you want to keep it a surprise to read while enjoying this wine.

So to wrap up this week of Italian Pinot Noir; two nice choices we found at Costco, representing two distinct and popular regions of Italian wine country; one inexpensive, the other a little bit more.  I’d say buy them both and experiment a bit to see what fits your tastes.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 points

Costco item number: 925976

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Alc. 12.5%

The post 2019 Vino dell’Amicizia Pinot Noir appeared first on CostcoWineBlog.com.

It seems like people around the wine world are talking a lot about Chianti Classico at the moment.  I know one of my favorite wine writers, Eric Asimov from the NY Times, is a huge fan of them right now.

We’ve always enjoyed them as well, finding a lot of quality at great prices, so figured it was worth tasting this 2016 vintage bottle that appeared at our Costco.  It comes the Castellani Family, which has produced wine in Tuscany for more than 150 years.

The price was $13.99 at Costco which is pretty good.  Retail seems to be around $20, and online you can score the bottle for a few bucks less than that. And there’s a nice big Suckling 93 point score on the placard. 

2016 was an excellent year for Italian wine so I was a little surprised to see one still lingering around.  And it was, as I hoped, drinking perfectly right now with a little age starting to form.

The wine pours a medium ruby going toward medium garnet in the glass; there’s pepper and cherry on the nose which is dusty and earthy; the wine is medium in body with soft tannins, good acidity; super delicate and elegant at this stage.

In the mouth flavors of spicy cherry, red berry; dry and dusty into the finish. 

I really enjoyed this wine, and if I was drinking it blind and you told me it was a young Brunello I wouldn’t have been surprised at all. Quite a nice Costco wine buy for $14.00 that we will add to our Top Picks list.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 91 points (a Costco Wine Top Pick)

Costco item number: 1255632

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)

Alc. 13%

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