(DJ) On Wine: A Hunt for Holiday Deals at Costco

[AKR]

On Wine: A Hunt for Holiday Deals at Costco -- WSJ
2020-12-12 07:32:43.761 GMT

By Lettie Teague

(Dow Jones) -- This article is being republished as part of our daily
reproduction of WSJ.com articles that also appeared in the U.S. print edition
of The Wall Street Journal (December 12, 2020).

"WE DON'T HAVE any more wine Advent calendars!" said a harried Costco staffer
as he rushed by me. I'd just set foot in the Wayne, N.J., Costco, and he'd
overheard me say "wine" to my husband.

The Costco Advent calendar contains 24 half bottles of various wines and sells
for under just $100 -- if you can find it. Neither wine nor desirable bottles
last long on Costco shelves. The tantalizing promise of a find might end in
disappointment -- or a great bottle of wine. Siobhan Clements, Costco's
northeast re-gional beer, wine and spirits buyer, calls this "the Costco
treasure hunt." The payoff might be a small-production Pinot Noir or Costco's
own sought-after Kirkland-label Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet.

I've written about wine shopping at Costco before, but I had particularly high
hopes when I undertook my most recent visits to the store. The pandemic has
compelled producers to redirect wines destined for restaurants and hotels to
retailers instead. Might some of those gems have landed at Costco?

According to Chad Sokol, assistant vice president and general merchandise
manager for Costco Wine & Spirits, there are both corporate and regional
Costco wine, spirit and beer buyers across the country. The northeast region
Ms. Clements oversees includes nine states and 35 stores that sell wine (about
80% of all Costcos do), including the Wayne store where I shopped this month.

"Some of the brands have been nice surprises, and we've been able to get some
really good deals," Ms. Clements said. For example, she had secured a few
cases of 2018 Austin Hope Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that earned
high marks from critics. She couldn't tell me where all the "deals" ended up,
but she did say the Austin Hope wine was in some New Jersey stores.

I didn't see the Austin Hope Cabernet on my first Costco trip, but I was
moving fast. At 9 a.m. the store was crowded; I had to dodge fellow members to
maintain social distance. (Members who are also residents of California -- the
only state where Costco has a license to sell wine online -- can opt for
internet shopping, but the offers are limited and not particularly exciting.)

Next to the Kirkland wines stacked in the aisles I found grocery-store-caliber
labels like J. Lohr and Sutter Home, and well-known bottles like Santa
Margherita Pinot Grigio ($22) and Veuve Clicquot Brut Non Vintage Champagne
($48.09). These wines are often very competitively priced at Costco; the Veuve
Clicquot was priced two dollars lower than it was at a nearby wine store. Then
again, at $39.99, the 2019 Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay I found at Costco cost
$4 more than the same wine at a Bottle King up the road. When I mentioned that
discrepancy to Ms. Clements, she was surprised. "Our goal would be to be very
competitive. I will have to look into this," she said.

I found some very good Kirkland-label wines, including a toothsome 2018
Kirkland Signature Series Premier Cru Chablis ($20) and a well-balanced 2018
Kirkland Signature Series Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($19)
marked by bright red fruit and a crisp acidity. The former was made by Odile
Van Der Moere at Jean-Marc Brocard, the highly regarded Chablis producer, the
latter by Glenn Hugo, longtime winemaker at Girard winery in Napa, who has
made Kirkland wines in various regions for over a decade. "Our goal is
approachable, well-balanced wines with good acidity," said Mr. Hugo.

I also found very good non-Kirkland wines, such as the 2019 Dr. Konstantin
Frank Dry Riesling ($12) from New York's Finger Lakes and the lithe 2018
Domaine Louis Jadot Marsannay "Longeroies" ($36) from a top Burgundy négociant
and domaine. According to Kurt Eckert, New York-based national brand manager
of Maison Louis Jadot, the latter wine is exclusive to Costco in the U.S. The
company sells several wines to Costco each year. "We try to offer them six
items: three white and three red," Mr. Eckert said.

Meaghan Frank, general manager of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in Hammondsport,
N.Y., was "thrilled" to hear I'd found her (rather small production) Riesling
at Costco. I heard quite a different response in 2012 when I told producers
I'd found their wines in Costco. Back then, Doug Shafer, president of Shafer
Vineyards in Napa, told me the Shafer Merlot I'd found must have been sent
there "in error." I remarked on this to Ms. Frank. "I think the pandemic has
been a very humbling experience for wineries aspiring to a luxury presence,"
she replied.

When I returned to Costco looking for the 2018 Austin Hope Cabernet ($53),
which I found, I also got a 2018 Daou Cabernet ($20) -- a far better balanced
and more drinkable, less overtly alcoholic wine. Georges Daou, proprietor of
Daou Family Estates in Paso Robles, Calif., told me he's shopped Costco for
years and found some great Bordeaux at his local store. "If Costco is good
enough for Château Margaux and Château Latour, they're good enough for Daou,"
he reasoned.

I've never found first-growth Bordeaux at Costco, and I've yet to see the wine
Advent calendar. But Andrew Cullen, creator of CostcoWineBlog.com, did send me
his review. Mr. Cullen has no connection to Costco; he and his fellow fans
review Costco wines strictly for fun. His review revealed there were actually
two different Costco wine Advent calendars assembled this season. Both contain
a varied selection of 24 half bottles; one cost $99.99, the other, $97.99. The
wines are from all over the world and are pretty good, Mr. Cullen reported.

A few days after sharing his review, Mr. Cullen sent an update. He'd found a
third calendar -- seemingly available only in Canada -- featuring an
all-sparkling selection. He also mentioned he'd heard Costco might release a
"second wave" of calendars. I emailed Mr. Sokol to find out if it was true. He
said he didn't have any information. It wasn't exactly a "no," so I might head
back to Costco -- just in case.

OENOFILE / Top Costco Finds

1. 2019 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling Finger Lakes New York $12

This Finger Lakes producer is credited with bringing Riesling to the region
and turns out several examples of the grape including this brisk,
easy-drinking lime and pear-inflected example.

2. 2018 Daou Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles California $20

According to Daou Vineyards proprietor Georges Daou, Costco buyers purchased a
fair number of cases of this elegant Cabernet marked by bright red fruit,
spice and well-integrated tannins.

3. 2018 Kirkland Signature Series Premier Cru Chablis $20

This very pleasant, rather fruity Chablis is sourced from a "variety of
premier-cru Chablis vineyards," said Costco's Chad Sokol. It's made by Odile
Van Der Moere, head winemaker at renowned Chablis estate Jean-Marc Brocard.

4. 2018 Kirkland Signature Series Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
$19

Glenn Hugo, head winemaker at Napa's Girard winery, makes quite a few Kirkland
wines. The fruit for this nicely polished, accessibly styled Cabernet comes
from Napa's Rutherford district.

5. 2018 Domaine Louis Jadot Marsannay "Longeroies" $36

Burgundy big-name Louis Jadot produces this wine in one the best crus in the
Côte de Nuits district. A Costco exclusive in the U.S., it's marked by aromas
of red fruit and spice, and fine tannins. A pleasure to drink.

[jckba]

I routinely see random Instagram posts where someone takes a shot of Costco shelf full of a couple of semi limited edition bourbons at regular retail which is becoming increasingly harder to stumble upon at least here in the metro NYC area.

[Musigny 151]

“ 2018 Domaine Louis Jadot Marsannay "Longeroies" $36

Burgundy big-name Louis Jadot produces this wine in one the best crus in the
Côte de Nuits district. A Costco exclusive in the U.S., it's marked by aromas
of red fruit and spice, and fine tannins. A pleasure to drink.”


Cannot understand this. I am sure that Lettie does not mean this Marsannay is the equal of a La Tache or a Musigny. Also not sure I have ever heard it being described as a district.

[Jay Winton]

The problem is every Costco that sells wine has different inventories. I subscribe to the Costco wine blog but it is Atlanta based so finding the wines he likes is hit or miss and generally miss. I shop at the DC Costco, the Alexandria based store has a better selection but not enough to make the drive. The DC Costco does sell spirits as well and their Kirkland brands can be very good. In many states you can buy alcohol without being a member.

[Claudius2]

Guys
Since when did Kirkland make (or I should say buy) wine?
I have some vitamins from them.

[AKR]

Guys
Since when did Kirkland make (or I should say buy) wine?
I have some vitamins from them.

Kirkland wine is white labeled from various producers. There is a whole thread on WB where people try to guess who the producer or where the grapes come from