Reviews

There have been some really nice additions to the Kirkland wine portfolio in recent years. Notably a few that come to mind: Kirkland Signature Vacqueyras Kirkland Signature Suscol Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Kirkland Signature Sancerre Kirkland Signature Gigondas Kirkland Signature Saint-Julien Bordeaux That’s a heck of a list from … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/new-kirkland-signature-wines-wed-love-to-see-at-costco/

Well-balanced and accessible, offering a bright, plummy mix of boysenberry and black cherry fruit, with red licorice, cedar and mineral accents. Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca. Drink now. 41,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. Source : 54a65928dc2d598942400c50f66a546d

Broad-shouldered and slightly brooding, with deep accents of blackberry, bittersweet chocolate, clove and dusky spices that build toward but polished tannins. Drink now through 2033. 487 cases made. Source : 85946377549b9ae710edc7c2d6c58907

This bright white is light- to medium-bodied, with a creamy density to the well-meshed flavors of apricot and mango fruit, blood orange peel, salted almond, anise and white blossoms. Lip-smacking and vivacious through the mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2030. 25,000 cases made, 21,916 cases imported. Source : 94e55e875bf2b8daae13cc41e28c2e5c

Shows plenty of verve and intensity, offering yuzu, mango and lemon curd notes at the core, plus accents of hops, vetiver and lemongrass. Vibrant acidity and plenty of momentum on the finish make this a showy wine, with a hint of crunchy sea salt that lingers. Drink now. 6,000 cases made. Source : d025dff404c362e78afbf0547234edbe

The Austrian Zalto family has been making mouth-blown glass for six generations. The Denk’Art glasses are named after Father Hans Denk  who has spent decades studying and tasting wines and advised Zalto in the design of wine glass bowls to bring out the best qualities of each wine type.  Each glass is very light with delicate rims and stems so …

The post Peaks and… More Peaks (Highlights from VinoVIP Cortina 2024, Part 2) appeared first on 1 Wine Dude. Welcome to Part 2 of the highlights from my media jaunt to VinoVIP 2024, held in Italy’s rather dramatic (landscape-wise, anyway) locale of Cortina. For more background on the event, head over to Part 1. The main draw of VinoVIP is …

A voluptuous, extroverted red that matches strappy licorice, black plum and fragrant violet notes with a solid wall of graphite. Grilled herbs and smoke gild the broad palate, with real structure to the framework that makes for a focused finish. Appealingly lush, with good energy. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2026. 3,500 cases made, 1,800 cases imported. Source : …

Fresh and full of energy, with multilayered raspberry and pomegranate flavors that take of accents of cardamom and black tea as this gathers tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2032. 3,021 cases made. Source : d9241d48db8f65e91607f31559e9bb4b

The post Wine Reviews: Mini Round-Up for November 25, 2024 appeared first on 1 Wine Dude. I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format. They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) …

This fresh Franciacorta is lightly chalky and fine in texture, with an aromatic apple blossom overtone to its well-meshed mix of white cherry, nectarine, pink grapefruit peel and salted almond. Very sippable. Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. Disgorged 2023. Drink now. 36,000 cases made, 2,200 cases imported. Source : 67553b2064584cdf139e829fd6d00cce

Exuberant and fragrant, this white jumps out of the glass, with kiwi, cantaloupe and honeysuckle accents that dance on the vibrant finish. Drink now. 28,000 cases made. Source : 067a47138457adc1bb7b9493e9290263

A vibrant and juicy red, exuding cherry, raspberry, floral and spice flavors. Accents of earth, tar and underbrush emerge as this winds down on the long aftertaste. This is harmonious and approachable now yet better in a few years. Best from 2027 through 2042. 4,200 cases made, 1,650 cases imported. Source : 798f37028010cde7496d01fd9f0031e0

Dense and powerful, featuring a concentrated mix of blackberry, huckleberry and blueberry syrup flavors on a velvety frame, with details of Pu’er tea, dark chocolate, singed palo santo, candied walnut, black pepper and toffee that linger. Despite all the concentration, there’s a lovely sense of elegance, with an open-knit frame and a long, lingering finish. Shiraz. Drink now through 2037. …

The post Dizzying Heights… of Italian Cabernet (Highlights from VinoVIP Cortina 2024, Part 1) appeared first on 1 Wine Dude. This recap is nearly a decade in the making. I was lucky enough to have been invited to attend the 2024 incarnation of VinoVIP Cortina, held in the incredible locale of Cortina, Italy (which will host the 2026 Winter Olympic …

Poached pear, Fuji apple and pineapple notes are fresh and juicy on a medium body, with orange blossom, candied ginger and lemon drop hints. Shows firm acidity and a toasted sesame seed detail on the finish. Vermentino and Grenache Blanc. Drink now. 3,114 cases made. Source : 269c46f4e33035d6e1bcfbc172a23b45

This popular Kirkland Bordeaux is back. Always a good sign since we have only have seen two vintages so far. It’s nice to see Costco committed to these high quality, highly desirable wine regions with the Kirkland label. More good news, the price actually keeps coming down a little bit each year. It’s not much, … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/2021-kirkland-signature-saint-julien-bordeaux/

This one caught us off guard. We were expecting a run of the mill Sangiovese, but couldn’t be more impressed with what’s delivered here and for only $13.89. Morellino di Scansano is a wine region in Tuscany that’s not often talked about, but should be. These wines are predominantly (85%) Sangiovese (Morellino is the local … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/2022-fattoria-le-pupille-morellino-di-scansano-sangiovese/

Many of you have been wondering the same thing we have: where is the Costco wine advent calendar for 2024? For the past three years, we found it in stores in September. There were a few rumblings online about it for 2024, but not a lot of solid information or spottings in the wild. We … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/wheres-the-2024-costco-wine-advent-calendar/

The vintners of the Santa Cruz Mountains are making exciting, fresh wines from unique, wild mountain terroir. We’ve selected some of our favorites, described below.  They include excellent bottlings of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. These wines give a good picture of the varied terroir and sophisticated viticulture and winemaking of the region.  Retail prices are listed when …