This Kirkland Brunello has been one of the most talked about wines among our readers and now that I finally found it at my local Costco, I can jump into the conversation and state that I’m in complete agreement, and this is clearly one of the best buys in Costco stores today. If you’re a fan of Italian reds, you already know Brunellos rarely come in this price range ($24.99) so it’s even more impressive to find one at that price that is really good too.
Brunello is made from the Sangiovese grape which is the powerhouse Italian red varietal that you find in many popular wines from Italy including Chianti, and Super Tuscans where it is often times the primary blending ingredient. I’ve had my fair share of Brunellos, having sampled quite a few when we were writing our book on Italian wine, and had I tasted this blind, I most certainly would be pegged it for a Brunello costing much more.
On the pour you can see slight signs of a little age settling in around the rim as this wine was aged in oak for 36 months. Color is medium to dark, and the body in the mouth is on the medium to medium plus side. That’s part of what I love about Brunellos; they pack in a lot of flavor but the package is light and delicate.
I just let the wine breathe for an hour in a few glasses and now I’m back. Aromatics have improved; earthy, touch of perfume; red fruit flavors, rich and deep, sour cherry, cranberry, a little mint; tannins are still a bit tight and would age this wine nicely over time if you laid a few down, which I might do for fun. Finish really sticks, and is the highlight of the wine in my opinion. This one stays with you and is awesome with food. We enjoyed it with homemade meatballs and spicy red sauce and it was perfect.
I’d certainly recommend trying this wine, and if you enjoyed it as much as I did, you might want to buy them up because I don’t think they’ll be around long with all the buzz surrounding it.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 92-93 points
Costco item number: 1001151
Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)