Informational sips
Good wine
made well
SEVERAL DIFFERENT Kirkland Signature
wines are offered in warehouses during
three-month windows throughout a year.
(The exception is Kirkland Signature
Chardonnay: It is available year-round.)
Some selected wineries are small; likewise their inventory. This means that while all
warehouses that carry wine receive an allotment of Kirkland Signature wine throughout
the year, not all of them receive every wine.
Know that when a specific wine is sold out,
that vintage is gone. Purchase when you see
it. (Wines are not available on Costco.com.)
Accolades for Kirkland Signature wines
continue to flow in. In the last several
months, the following Kirkland Signature
wines were among those rated by Wine
Enthusiast magazine:
• “Signature Series” Napa Valley Cabernet
Sauvignon 2008 ($19.99), 93 points out of
100, Editors’ Choice
• “Signature Series” Oakville Cabernet
Sauvignon 2008 ($19.99), 91 points,
Editors’ Choice
• “Signature Series” Mountain Cuvée
Cabernet 2007 ($17.99), 89 points,
Editors’ Choice
• Kirkland Signature Merlot Columbia Valley
2008 ($8.99), 90 points
Meanwhile, Wine Spectator magazine
rated a pair of Kirkland Signature wines:
countries. It is essential that each wine represents the true expression of its origin, embodies
the best of a wine region and of the grape variety, and exceeds member expectations.
To achieve this, Costco forms partnerships
with specific winemakers and their wineries,
many of which participate in the sustainable
viticulture movement and place an emphasis
on sound environmental and social principles.
“By forming partnerships, we are able to have
control over the quality and have a consistent
program for years to come,” explains Annette.
After numerous tastings and discussions,
Annette, her team of 10 buyers and the winemaker make the decision to either offer a
wine from the winery’s personal repertoire or
create a new collaborative blend.
With age comes quality
The buyers bring with them a considerable amount of study and expertise. Half of
Costco wine buyers have earned the Wine &
Spirit Education Trust’s Advanced Level 3
certification, the other half just sat for the
Level 3 exam, and Annette continues to pur-
• Kirkland Signature Merlot Columbia Valley
2009 ($8.99), 89 points, Best Value
• Kirkland Signature Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Cuvée de Nalys 2009 ($19.99), 91 points,
Smart Buy
Kirkland Signature warehouse releases
scheduled for this fall include:
• 2008 Napa Valley Mountain Cuvée
Cabernet Sauvignon ($18.99)
• 2009 Bordeaux Superieur Red Blend ($7.99)
• 2009 Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon
($12.99)
• Non-Vintage Brut Champagne ($19.99)
• Non-Vintage Brut Rosé Champagne
($24.99)
• 10-Year-Old Tawny Porto ($16.99)
Kirkland Signature wines are ready to
enjoy immediately, even though the reds can
age if stored properly. White wines and non-vintage Champagne are meant to be drunk
young. Consume them within one to two
years of purchase.
For in-depth information on Kirkland
Signature wines, visit Costco.com, click on
“Costco Connection Magazine” among the
Resource Guides, then “Kirkland Signature
Wine Connection.”
To find out if your warehouse carries
wine, click on the “Beer, Wine & Spirits
Locator,” also among the Resource Guides.
—PV
sue her Master of Wine studies, the wine
trade’s most challenging wine exam (300 in
the world have this qualification).
“Wine is an opinion in a glass,” she says.
“We know we can’t be everything to everyone,
but we can offer our members a taste of some
very good wines from the best wine regions in
the world at exceptionally good prices.”
I’d say the Kirkland Signature wine pro-
gram is aging quite nicely. C
Value in a bottle
HOW DO COSTCO’S wine prices compare to the competition’s? Here’s a look,
based on a bottle of 2008 Argentina
Malbec (750 ml):
Kirkland Signature: $7.99
Competitor A: $17.99
Competitor B: $23.99
(Prices based on a survey taken in August 2011 in California stores. All wine prices may vary from state to state.)
CONSIDER COSTCO’S WINE team your
personal sommelier, providing shortcuts
into the world of fine wines without the
need for you to spend a lot of money.
To make selecting easier, Kirkland
Signature wine is classified into three
tiers, each with an identifying label.
Kirkland Signature
Premium
• $6.99 to $10.99 (industry
price $12 to $14.99)
Kirkland Signature
Super Premium
• $11 to $16.99 (industry
price $15 to $24.99)
Kirkland Signature
“Signature Series”
• $17.99 and up (industry price $25 and up) • Designated as “Signature Series” on front or back label • 3,000 to 6,000 cases • Sourced from ultra-premium vineyards (Examples: Champagne, Châteauneuf- du-Pape, Oakville, Stag’s Leap District) • Costco collaboration with specific winemaker and winery. Most often Costco’s own blend.
