Skip to main content

Kirkland Signature Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Nalys 2014

Every year Costco sells their Kirkland Signature Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  It always sells for $19.99 and quickly sells out.  The last time I was able to buy it at my local Costco was in May 2015 and I have been checking religiously since May of this year to be sure that I did not miss it.  I had read online that other areas had this wine a few months ago and I fretted that that I missed out but there it was in the bins last week.

You may wonder why this wine, which is more expensive than the usual SC Wine Joe wine, is in such high demand.  First, you need to know that a Chateauneuf du Pape wine usually sells for at least $35 or $40 and often costs much more than that.  Secondly, this is a great, drinkable wine.

If you are new to this blog and have not read my post from May 2015, here is a short review about the wine.  Chateauneuf du Pape is a region in the Rhone area of south France.  For a short period, many years ago, it was home to the Pope.  As in other Rhone wines, Grenache is the predominate grape.  This wine also blends in Syrah, Cinsault, Vaccarese, Counoise and Mourvedre.  The resulting wine has an alcohol content of 14.5% and is a smooth, medium bodied wine with tons of berry flavors.  

If this wine is available at your local Costco, I strongly recommend it to you.  I am sure you have a special occasion that warrants spending $20 on a bottle of wine and I know you will like it.

SC Wine Joe rating = 92 points


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dragon Vine, a novel by Steven Laine

It has been a year since I have posted to the South Carolina Wine Blog.  However, I was provided with an advance copy of the latest novel by Steven Laine entitled Dragon Vine   for my review.  Mr. Laine writes novels with a wine focused theme and I reviewed Mr. Laine's previous novel Root Cause  in 2019, which I greatly enjoyed. The synopsis of Dragon Vine is as follows: When his father dies in a wildfire, Carmine Cooper takes over the family winery in the middle of harvest, putting his dreams of becoming an architect on hold. He soon finds himself fighting with a vengeful neighbor, blackmailed by a local gang, harassed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities, and the target of an ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives) investigation. Carmine’s only hope to solve his problems and finish his first solo vintage successfully rests in identifying an unknown grape variety his father grew and made into wine for a quarter century wit...

Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2018

 I was aware of the reputation of Ken Wright Cellars for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir but had never tried one of their wines.  The winery is most known for single vineyard Pinot Noirs but their entry level wine is a blend from several vineyards.  When I have looked for wine from Ken Wright, I have either found the single vineyard wines costing more than $60 or I have found the entry level Willamette Valley blend priced significantly higher than the $22 price on the winery website.  One well known wine shop in downtown Greenville actually sells it for $34.  I guess that the wine must be really good to command higher than retail prices. Two things have recently happened.  Costco has a Ken Wright premium Pinot Noir for around $40 and Whole Foods Market has the entry level Willamette Valley Pinot Noir on sale for $22 rather than their usual price of $27.  I chose the entry level Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and I am sure glad that I did. Ken Wright Willame...

Cardwell Hill Cellars Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2016

 After a recent shopping trip to Total Wine, they enticed me to come back with a 20% off coupon for their winery direct wines.  I wanted to try a new Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, but I think I have previously tried every winery direct Oregon Pinot Noir under $20 in the store and never found one that I would buy again.  So, I decided to search out the winery direct pinots up to $30 since my coupon would get me under $24.  After some online review, I selected Cardwell Hill Cellars Estate Bottled Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2016 ($27.99 reduced to $22.40) and I really made an excellent choice. Caldwell Hill Cellars is owned by a retired Fleur Corp engineer and his wife who love both Oregon and wine.  All of their wines are made with estate grown grapes and they use biodynamic farming practices. Dark cherry aromas greet you from the glass.  A complex taste of cherry, dark cherry, raspberry and spice arrive first, followed by some oak and tannins.  The fi...