A Whole Lotta Pinot Goodness for just $12

Fast facts:

• 2022 Kirkland Signature Pinot Noir,  Willamette Valley, Oregon $11.99 (@Costco, California, Item# 975274)

You may recall that we have reviewed this wine before, when it was a screaming deal at $12.99. Well don’t look now, but the price has dropped to $11.99, making its QPR even more solid.

Champions of wines from the Pacific Northwest (raising my hand here!) are fond of pointing out that the latitude of the area approximates those of Bordeaux and Burgundy.  The latter arguably produces the best Pinot Noir in the world. Both have in common relatively cool climates, where sugar levels tend to be subdued. As a result, the wines are not as ripe and soft on the palate, and the alcohol levels tend to be lower. Whether these traits are positive or not is a matter of personal preference.

The Willamette Valley is one of the most influential wine producing regions in all of Oregon as well as the entire Pacific Northwest. The region spans from the Columbia River in the north all the way down to Eugene in the South. It is by far Oregon’s largest AVA and is dominated by plantings of Pinot Noir and smaller amounts of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling.

While it might be convenient to lump Washington and Oregon together in one great big monoculture, they are in reality quite different. Of the three west coast wine producing states, Oregon is the most markedly different and struggles the most to achieve ripening.

Tasting Notes:

Once poured, the wine in the glass is a color that is a clear and a bit paler than the normal ruby shade that one associates with Pinot Noir from warmer areas. It is mildly fragrant with black cherry, plum, and the typical Dr. Pepper earthiness.  In the mouth, you get flavors of black and red berries with nice notes of allspice in the finish. For a great food pairing, try this wine with herb-crusted roasted chicken, pork loin, mild game birds or simple grilled salmon. 12.3% ABV.

When first opened, I found the wine a bit more rustic than when I revisited it the next day, when it was more balanced.  So you might consider decanting this one for an hour or so.

Getting oriented to the wine regions of the PNW:

Sarah Cabot is the winemaker for Kirkland’s Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.  While she previously made her mark crafting small production, artisanal wines that did quite well, she is now head of winemaking for Precept Wine’s 100K case Oregon portfolio, which includes the Kirkland Signature Series Pinot Noir brand.

“My objective has shifted over the years,” she says in a recent article. “Now it’s to make the best $15 Pinot Noir—a wine that can line up and perform next to a $25 Pinot in a blind tasting.

We think she has succeeded here.

Need More Wine Picks from Costco – or Trader Joe’s Even?

If your wine shopping excursions land you in Costco, prepare by grazing our most recent reviews of Costco wines here in our Lucky 13 list.

And if your shopping finds you at Trader Joe’s, you can find our Lucky 13 list of TJ’s wine here.

Remember as alway, let us know if you find something you think we should know about.  We will give you a shout out in our review for “sniffing it out” for us.

Cheers!