Such was the magnificence of the first wine I bought under the Costco name, Kirkland, a Margaux in fact, that I've been tempted to try other Kirkland bottlings again and again hoping for another hit. But for a very traditional biscuity champagne, none have been and the 08 Kirkland Chateneuf du Pape Cuvee Nalys isn't one either. (Time to give up.) It's a tuitti fruitti grapey baby with lots of volatile acidity and absolutey no substance. AVOID!
A 2006 Les Brunelles Crozes Hermitage wasn't quite as bad, but neither did it provide enough pleasure to drink the first night we opened it. We set it aside for the next day, then, hoping for some improvement but we waited in vain. It just faded away.
Better but not great was the 2005 Frescobaldi Chianti Classico. I bought several bottles a few years ago thinking how could I go wrong with that name, that year, but the wine has failed to show well on any of the occasions we've opened it. It has mostly lacked everything you hope for: aroma, flavor, finish. Now, at least, it has some genuine chianti-ness about the nose and the entry is promising, but just about the point that the palate should fill out and go into a nice finish, it drops off a cliff instead. Okay as a pizza wine, but nothing more.