A Costco staple, the Horse Heaven Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from Chateau Ste. Some of our friends and family, in fact, are big Chardonnay fans. This wine was a big disappointment for me. Drop one of these in the cart if you see it. Before the pandemic, it wasn't uncommon for parents and children to spend a Saturday roaming the Costco aisles. This bottle is a terrific value for only $9.99 at Costco. So there is your nerd out for the day, and maybe some day well do an episode where we discuss oak more. The finish is perfect. Here are all of the things you won't see at Costco again. And welcome to The Wine Pair Podcast. Soft, not offensive.Food to pair with this Chardonnay: Creamy cheese, chicken, creamy chicken alfredo, charcuterie board, fish taco, spicy foods. Ive had several readers write in with praise the minute this one hit their stores, and they couldnt have been right. Yes, this was one major perk of shopping at Costco. Do you remember Kirkland Signature frozen turkey burgers? In this episode, we taste and review three different Pinot Blancs from different parts of the world - Germany, Oregon, and Canada - to let you know what we think and advise you on what to look for. Sometimes, you just don't feel like cooking, which is where dishes like this frozen Kirkland ravioli come in. Right?? Nice one all around, and a summertime favorite at our household. We just went to Costco last weekend where, as usual, I bought a lot more stuff that I needed to. At least 50% of the white wine section is likely to be Chardonnay in an average store. The price at Costco was only $19.79, and for a wine of this caliber, this is a good deal. Flavors are dark fruit, blueberry, blackberry, balanced with earthy undertones and a touch of leather and black licorice. This is a guest post from Marshall, a reader in Atlanta. It seems like a bunch of these under $15 Bordeaux have hit Costcos lately. The warehouse club famously stopped selling Roundup after a lawsuit in which a couple alleged that it caused cancer. This 7-day smoothie diet will help you shed those last few pounds. Well do a Cabernet one too some day. First, there are a lot of people out there who like Chardonnay - especially in the US. Big aromas, red fruit, juicy, lots of ripe red cherry, red licorice, then a little cedar and spice on the finish. For the summer months, this one will be one of those. It has good fruit flavors like apple, pear, tropical fruits, citrus, and melon. Back in the day, Costco sold both vanilla and chocolate soft-serve, and you could even get a swirl of both flavors. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 91 Points Once upon a time, the Costco food court had soft pretzels, including cinnamon-sugar ones. We line up two Chardonnays that Costco sells under its Kirkland Brand and compare them to each other and a third well known Chardonnay that Costco also sells. So, there are lots of good and valid reasons why Chardonnay is popular, and the number of producers and areas and styles really does mean there is probably a Chardonnay for everyone. I cant think of the last time I truly enjoyed a bottle for under $7, so this one at Costco for $6.59 may be the bargain of the year. Im a fan. This is one thats great to enjoy young. This wine is from Washington State and is made by Charles Smith, who is a well known and well respected vintner. . . The oakiness really gets magnified and the fruit flavors tamped down when it is served too cold. Now, you'll have to head to mall favorites like Wetzel's Pretzels or Auntie Anne's to get that sweet, doughy goodness. We have had a series on our podcast that we have called Costco FTW, or Costco For The Win, that we have not returned to in a while, so I thought it would be good for us to get back to it. *ValuePick*. This would be a great summer bottle so I might buy a few more to save for when I want a crisp, clean white for sunny days. No spam, ever. Another Costco favorite that fans can't find anymore was the dark chocolate chips, which were apparently perfect for baking. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); First, there is a Costco that we frequent that is just North of Seattle, and they had two Kirkland Brand Chardonnays, one of which is their standard Sonoma County Chardonnay that is really inexpensive. Crazy value for only $6.99, which is $2 cheaper than it was at my store last year. (There are a lot of these Bordeaux under $15 hitting Costco stores. One other thing I will say about Chardonnay that we have learned, and we have mentioned it in other episodes is that Chardonnay should be a bit warmer than fridge cold. Signature Argentina in its makeup, the wine instantly reminded me of some Patagonia Cabs Ive tried recently. This is a lovely wine, and I hate to say I was surprised (since its from Montsant), but it certainly met my already somewhat high expectations. With that in mind, we've decided to round up some of the beloved items that won't be returning to Costco anytime soon. Instead, expect to hold it up and have the cashier scan it without touching it. Rating: Joe: 5/10Carmela: 6/10Wine: Kirkland Signature K Vine Chardonnay Evergreen VineyardRegion: Washington, MattawaProducer: K Brands, Charles Smith Winemaker Year: 2020Price: $9.99Retailer: CostcoAlcohol: 14%Grapes: ChardonnayProfessional Rating: JS 90 What we tasted and smelled in this Chardonnay: Tropical fruit, pineapple, spicy, apple pie, pie dough, peach, sugary, vanilla extract, alcohol, grapefruit. Side note: one of my kids gave me two yellow gummi bears in the middle of this tasting, and it made the wine even more interesting (in case you want to try). Costco shoppers are now required to wear masks, 15 Classic American Desserts That Deserve a Comeback, Costco had to make a statement on its website. Its fruity and young, with ripe flavor as in years past. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); about 2011 Santa Julia Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza. So, by the way, if you are wondering what a naked Chardonnay is, it means an unoaked Chardonnay. *ValuePick*. But Im picking up a lot more of a floral and spice component on the finish, especially after a little air, that really brings more to the wine. And will of course keep you posted. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 92 Points But it just might be the best one for $7. In a statement on its website, Costco explained that the store is no longer offering the cookbook during the Thanksgiving season. Fresh and ripe, this wine feels surprisingly good in the mouth; more on the medium body side; flavors of dark berry, blackberry, black cherry and tobacco. These grapes just grow so nicely in the valley and the wines are reflection of this great cool climate. Unlike high acid wines, it can do ok on its own without food. Alright, now back to the topic at hand. And for more, check out these 108 most popular sodas ranked by how toxic they are. Because it is easy to grow and yields a lot of wine, prices for the wine can be among the lowest of all wines. It is also a bigger bodied wine for a white, which gives it a bigger mouthfeel, which can make it a good choice as a sipping or cocktail hour wine, and maybe for people who prefer red wines. So, well see if it is worth twice the price of the regular old Kirkland brand Chardonnay - although again the double price is pretty darn cheap. Wines reviewed in this episode: Lini 910 Labrusca Three Great Book Club Books and Wines for 2022 (pairing books and wine, A Certain Hunger, Luster, In the Dream House, Chianti Rufina, White Cotes-du-Rhone, Zinfandel), WTF is Pinot Blanc? All Rights Reserved. It's a bit Sauvignon Blanc like. I found it to be more enjoyable than many other $8.99 bottles, butalso a little one dimension. This is one that Syrah lovers of all types will enjoy. And newer oak has stronger flavors too. Nice job on this one Costco. Ireviewed the 2009 vintage of the same wine and did not particularly enjoy it at that . Recommended. Unpleasant.Food to pair with this Chardonnay: Nothing. EatThis.com is part of the AllRecipes Food Group. Oregon Pinot Gris is almost always a solid pick. But all of these policies are in place to keep both customers and employees safeeven if it means that free samples were suspended for a bit. NOTE: This site is not affiliated with Costco Wholesale Corporation in any official way. about 2008 Celler Malondro Besllum Montsant. A lot going on. And the chain is working to bring that number up to 100%. about 2010 Chateau De La Cour DArgent Bordeaux Superior. In fact, we have a 1.5 liter bottle of Chardonnay from Costco that is $7.99 - so that is two bottles worth of wine for eight bucks. The bottle does indicate that it is cellared and bottled by DC Flynt MW Selections in Modesto, California.This is the Chardonnay that comes in the gihugent 1.5 liter magnum bottle and sells for $7.99 - although as recently as 2021 it was actually a dollar cheaper. about 2009 Kirkland Signature Medoc Bordeaux, Decoding Spanish Wine: A Beginners Guide to the High Value, World Class Wines of Spain, Decoding Italian Wine: A Beginners Guide to Enjoying the Grapes, Regions, Practices and Culture of the Land of Wine., Decoding French Wine: A Beginners Guide to Enjoying the Fruits of the French Terroir, Around the Wine World in 40 Pages: An Exploration Guide for the Beginning Wine Enthusiast, A Gentle Slaughter of the Perfect Kind (Fiction), 2010 Kirkland Signature Sonoma Old Vine Zinfandel, 2010 Chateau Clauzet Saint Estephe Bordeaux, 2010 Rodney Strong Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010 Chateau De La Cour DArgent Bordeaux Superior, 2010 Domaine du Grand Coulet Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2011 Santa Julia Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza, 2011 Chateau Ste. Alright, Carmela. Now, a critic I really like, Antonio Galloni from Vinous, gave the 2019 vintage 91 points, which is a lot, and Jeb Dunnuck gave the same vintage a 90. Back in February, shoppers noticed signs saying that starting in March, a membership card would be required to eat at the Costco food court. We recommend three fabulous books for your next book club or even just reading on your own - A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G Summers, Luster by Raven Leilani, and In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. This K Vine series comes reasonably priced at ~$10, and is in a normal sized bottle. Show NotesEpisode 37: Costco Kirkland Brand Chardonnay Challenge (Kirkland Signature Brand Chardonnay review, Costco Chardonnay tasting) 00:00Hello! Try it on your Sauvignon Blanc fans (I know I have a bunch who would love this bottle). The inventory of snacks, clothes, and home goods is constantly changing, and there's always something new to discover. I think California Cabs and Merlots are way over-oaked, too, and this to me means that they are produced in lazy ways that favor the flavors that oak brings over the flavors that the wine brings. we have to do our shameless plug, right Carmela? single If you like what you are hearing, we would love for you to subscribe to our podcast, and we would also really appreciate it if you would leave us a nice a rating and review so that people who may stumble upon us will tune in to our podcast.