Costco Brand Wine - 2002 Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
I wouldn’t have believed it until I saw it. Costco, under it’s Kirkland brand, is producing and selling it’s own wine, (which I guess they have been doing for a while now, I’m just not much of a regular). If it wasn’t for a tip from Chris K., I wouldn’t have purchased a bottle of the $18 USD Cabernet Sauvignon, holding out instead for a Falesco Umbria or Cameron Hughes Cab. But seeing the Alexander Valley Appellation plastered across the label helped convince me it was worth a try. Surprisingly, the cheaper image that is associated with the Kirkland brand was able to impress, a very nice effort indeed. Lots of black fruit and spice with good acidity, this was actually a very nice bottle of wine. It just goes to show, you can’t judge a wine by it’s label. The Costco folks are putting some money into their wines, with the obvious goal of appealing to the palate to move as much as possible. The best part is, if you try it and don’t like it, the return policy is fantastic.
Wine: 2002 Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma, CA
Price: $18 USD
Notes: A lively purple hue with a relaxed nose of Blackberry’s, Pepper, and a touch of vanilla, soft and supple on the palate with firm tannins and a spicy finish, a nice overall wine.
Score: 86 pts JAT
