Fast Facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature Gigondas, France ($13.99 @Costco in California – Item #11341020) One of the nice things about Costco’s line of Kirkland Signature wines is not just their incredible QPR, but also their relative price stability in this era where most prices keep ratcheting higher. We have been mining a French wine … Read moreA Perennial Favorite from Costco – More French Lessons
Fast facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($12.99 @ Costco, California – Item #975274) No, that subject line is not a recently-spied vanity license plate on the highways here in SoCal. It is short hand for this week’s featured wine from the PNW. (Shorthand for the Pacific Northwest, aka the “other” west … Read more2020 KS WV PN
2020 Kirkland Signature Series, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California ($19.99@Costco, California – Item #866663) This week we are featuring a Kirkland Signature Series wine from the “high rent district” of Napa. Although those references may be redundant. Let’s start with some basics here, which may or may not be new information for … Read moreOakville Napa Cab for Under $20? Thanks, Costco!
Fast facts: 2020 Schloss Vollrads Estate Riesling, Rheingau, Germany ($15.99@ Costco, California – Item #540982) Sam Sifton of the New York Times Cooking site perfectly captured the holiday vibe for me when he wrote last week: “Thanksgiving isn’t just one day. It’s a season, an incantation, a way of thinking about the world. And … Read moreThanksgiving Wine Numero Dos
Fast facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature Red Blend, Napa Valley, CA ($10.99 @ Costco, California – Item #333110) Ever heard of a “brand refresh?” It’s a term I heard regularly in my three decades – and counting – in the wine trade. It basically refers to a “facelift” when an existing wine brand gets a … Read moreIs This the Best $11 Red Wine in America?
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Single Vineyard Syrah, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina ($7.99 @Trader Joe’s; California) Argentina is regarded as one of the most dynamic wine-producing nations in the world, and the most important wine-producing region in South America. Only four countries in the world produce more wine than Argentina, but this … Read moreA Red Wine full of Pleasant Surprises – and just $7.99 at Trader Joe’s
Fast facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina ($6.99 @ Costco, California – Item #1239144) See that 91 prominently displayed on the foil of that Kirkland Signature Malbec? That was awarded by the esteemed James Suckling. I am not a slave to others reviews and point systems (heck, I almost always have to deduct … Read moreCostco has a Perfect Wine for your Late Summer BBQ – for $6.99!
Fast facts: 2020 Oakville Bench Merlot, Oakville, Napa Valley, California ($16.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Despite being somewhat out of fashion here in the U.S., the Merlot grape is still one of the most important grape varieties in the world of fine wine. It shares this distinction with Cabernet Sauvignon which together “power” the … Read moreThis Might Just be the Best Red Wine We’ve Reviewed All Year – and it’s just $16.99 at TJs!
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Reserve Chardonnay, Lot #231, Santa Lucia Highlands, California ($9.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Don’t look now but we are on a slippery slope towards Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer. Nooooooo!!!! Heck, Costco is already putting out Christmas decorations. But we will talk about Costco in future posts. … Read moreA Crazy Good Chard, from a Crazy Good Place, at a Crazy Good TJ’s Price
Fast Facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature K Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, Columbia Valley, Washington ($13.99 @Costco, California – Item #1462908) You’d be forgiven for thinking that virtually all of the wine produced in the United States is produced in California. Because 86% of it is. In distant second and third places are Washington state … Read moreA Great PNW Cab from Costco – K?