WTN: A surprising Costco value

[Jenise]

2015 Kirkland Signature Malbec Mendoza
Encountered last week at an open house, and it was the most interesting red wine there. Of course, the other options weren't collector stuff, and Apothic was well represented, but still. More savory and less floral than most Argentine malbecs in a very good way, with notes of coffee, tar, roses and a lavish dose of white pepper. Pinot Noir-ish body with bright acidity--a great example of when lighter is better. Blind, would have guessed Languedoc. A wine I could drink all night--oh wait, I did! Suspect the price to be around $8-10 (CT showed $7, but I'm not sure any Costco wine is just $7).

[David M. Bueker]

Interesting.

I like lighter Argentine Malbecs. I just rarely find them outside of Argentina.

I have found a couple of very surprising Kirkland branded wines in Costco. There was a Gigondas recently for $15 that was quite good. The most ridiculous value was a very nice Chianti Classico for $8. Apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed. When I went back to get some more it was gone, and I haven't seen it since. They've got somebody picking these things who knows what they're doing.

[Jenise]

When the Kirkland brand first appeared here, two were brought in, a Paulliac and a Margaux. I bought one of each, found the Paulliac wan and dull but the Margaux was exciting, a rich and complex real deal Bordeaux. Went back within days to find the Margaux all gone. Since then I've just tried a few things at other people's houses--a good traditional Champagne with toasty brioche flavors, a merely 'eh' New Zealand Sauv Blanc, but none that I would personally recommend until this one. Someone did recommend to me a Stags Leap area cabernet a few months back but it sold out instantly, so that must have been a good one! Seems to be a "you have to kiss a lot of frogs" situation.

A few wines of note from Costco. 2014 Ravenswood Barricia single-vineyard for $18. A couple notes on Cellartracker saying it is simple and hot, but I bought some anyway. 2016 Weill Rheingau "Tradition" QbA for the same price.

To follow up, I tried the Weil last night and it was fantastic. 10.5% alcohol, halfway between "medium dry" and "medium sweet" on the back label, so I guess just "medium", like a burger. I'd say it was halbtrocken, legally Spaetlese, floral, citrus, and mineral, precise balance, excellent acidity. Back up the trocken!

[Jenise]

Walt, thanks for the tips. Btw, looked for the Ravenswood--it didn't make it to my neck of the woods.

[Jenise]

Encountered at a party last night: 2015 Kirkland Bordeaux Superior. Wan, watery. PASS.

Encountered at a party last night: 2015 Kirkland Bordeaux Superior. Wan, watery. PASS.

Sorry, I had that one and also found it mediocre. They also had a Paulliac but I didn't try it.

[Jenise]

Sure have to kiss a lot of frogs, don't you?

The Livermore Costco had Ravenswood Old Hill single-vineyard zinfandel for $25. That's about half the price at the winery. Bought three bottles, haven't tried it yet.

[Jenise]

These may not show up outside of Washington, but Costco currently has The Walls 2015 'Stanley Groovy' for $20. I own a bottle, which I paid $39 for early last year, after tasting it at a Winemaker dinner featuring The Walls winery. "The Walls" is localese Walla Walla for the state penitentiary located nearby, and the wines are playfully named for various things having to do with that prison, like 'Concrete Mama'. Who Stanley Groovy was I have no idea, but the wine is 55% Touriga Nationale and the remaining bits are Tempranillo, counoise and several other things I forget now. It's gorgeously spicy and was my favorite at that dinner.

It would be interesting to see a map of which Costco wine buyers cover which stores, because I'm sure I've never seen a WA state wine, except for the one time they had Quilceda Creek.

The Old Hill was as good as expected, fruit and tannin and length all in balance, even at 14.5%. Sadly, my allergies hit like a ton of bricks the next day, so it's cheap wine for the next six weeks at least.

I saw a whimsical concept for a wine advent calendar that I was sorely tempted by. However, I'm trying not to buy much wine in the run-up to the end of the year. It was a 375 mL bottle of wine every day of Advent. (I never noticed that congruity, that's a standard 9L case.) The wines were from a decent range of countries, France, Chile, Spain. All imported by the same company, Blue something from both California and Wisconsin. I had never heard of any of the brands. Still, for those of us who crave variety and are willing to take a chance on a cheap wine, it's a fun idea. $100.

[James Roscoe]

Kirkland booze in general is a good value. With wine I stick to the 750s as the 1,5s are pretty much Woodbridge quality. If you are having a crowd of people who are less sophisticated and snobby as most of us, than the Kirkland wines and hard liquors are a good value.