Reverse Wine Snob

Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good

  • About
  • Aldi® Picks
  • Costco® Picks
  • Trader Joe’s® Picks
  • FREE GUIDE
  • Insider Deals
menu icon
go to homepage
Get Our Free Guide!
search icon
Homepage link
  • FREE GUIDE!
  • Insider Deals
  • Best Of Lists
    • - Costco
    • - Trader Joe's
    • - Aldi
  • About
  • The Rating System
  • More Helpful Links
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend - It's Good?

    By: Jon Thorsen Published: September 6, 2022 Last Updated: September 22, 2022

    Napa on the cheap, we check out the latest vintage of the Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend from Costco.

    Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend - It's Good?

    76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Sirah from Napa Valley, California. The wine is aged in oak for an unspecified amount of time.

    The Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend is available exclusively at Costco. Previous vintages have sold for $10.99 but the 2020 is priced at $11.79. Like many of the Kirkland Signature wines, it is cellared and bottled by DC Flynt MW Selections. Previous vintages were made by Glenn Hugo, the winemaker at Girard Napa and B.R. Cohn, but the 2020 does not mention this on the label.

    Want to get an email reminder of the Kirkland Signature wines to watch for each month?

    SIGN UP HERE

    From the bottle:

    The 2020 red blend is a traditional blend of classical varietals which combine to create a finely nuanced wine from the well-drained gravelly loams and silt soils of Napa Valley. This blend has the concentrated notes of black cherry and cassis supported by silky tannins and the spice rack notes of oak and cedar finishing with the velvety notes of rich plum.

    14.5% Alcohol

    This is a perennial favorite for us, so we were more than happy to see it arrive again in our local store. And once again this year the proportion of Cab has gone way up; in fact, this 2020 could actually be labeled as a Cabernet Sauvignon since it is above the 75% threshold for a single varietal wine.

    The 2020 Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend begins with a pleasing aroma full of ripe black cherry and other red fruits plus some sweet spice, vanilla, cola, black pepper and a hint of cigar box.

    Taking a sip reveals a balanced, smooth and silky medium-bodied wine but unfortunately it is lacking some of the depth and complexity of past vintages. In the mouth there's plenty of fruit (plum, cherry and assorted berries) and similar flavors to the nose like vanilla, cedar, sage, tobacco and more. Also, unlike previous vintages this iteration tastes a tad sweet to me.

    Some nice spice notes develop on the mid-palate and lead into the long finish. Overall, while it is still worth the price, we felt that it was not quite as good as the last time we reviewed it.

    2020 Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend

    Taste: 7 (87-88 points)     Cost: 7
    OVERALL RATING: 7.0

    RECOMMENDED BUY

    And here's our review of the previous vintage with the old label in case you still have any bottles on hand.

    Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend - It's Good

    The 2019 Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend begins with a pleasing aroma full of ripe cherry and other red fruits plus some sweet spice, vanilla, cola, black pepper and a hint of cigar box.

    Taking a sip reveals a balanced, very smooth and silky wine that has a bit more complexity than past vintages. In the mouth there's plenty of fruit (plum, cherry and assorted berries) and similar flavors to the nose like vanilla, cedar, sage, tobacco and more.

    Some excellent spice notes develop on the mid-palate and lead into the really long and lingering finish. This is a nice step up from the last time we reviewed it. You can't ask for much more than this for just $11 from Napa!

    2019 Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend

    Taste: 8 (89-90 points)    Cost: 7
    OVERALL RATING: 7.8

    HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

    Looking for more of our favorite picks from Costco? Click the pic below to browse our multi-page listing of recommended wines along with more information on how to best shop the store!

    The Best Wines at Costco - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks!

    Filed Under: California, Costco, Kirkland Signature, Red Blends

    << Hampton Water Rosé - Good Medicine
    Laurent Dublanc Tradition et Terroir Cotes du Rhone from Trader Joe's >>

    About Jon Thorsen

    Author and independent wine consumer helping millions of people find great wines without breaking the bank since 2011. Sign up for my FREE GUIDE to learn how! Read more about me...

    Reverse Wine Snob Insider Deals Header Square
    Limited Time offers with amazing discounts just for our readers.

    Don't Miss Out!

    About Reverse Wine Snob

    Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good! Jon Thorsen is an independent wine consumer who has been helping millions of people find great wines without breaking the bank since 2011. If you're new to Reverse Wine Snob® sign up for my free guide and don't miss our exclusive Insider Deals! Read more about Reverse Wine Snob in the news and about me.

    Reverse Wine Snob Logo

    Join over 450,000 followers on social media!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Get Our Free Guide! How To Drink Great Wine...Without Breaking The Bank

    Free Guide! How To Drink Great Wine Without Breaking The BankReady to start drinking the best wine of your life, and save money doing it? Sign up for our 5 Day Free Guide!

    Learn More

    Helpful Links

    • - Ask The Expert Series
    • - Browse by Variety, Region, etc.
    • - Buy My Book on Amazon
    • - Get Our Free Guide
    • - How To Choose A Good Bottle of Wine
    • - Insider Deals
    • - Insider Deal FAQ
    • - Printable Lists of Recommended Wines
    • - Ten Tenets of Reverse Wine Snobbery
    • - The Rating System
    • - Wine Tasting Basics

    • - Advertise
    • - Contact Info
    • - Submit Samples for review

    How To Drink Great Wine...Without Breaking The Bank

    Tired of wasting money on bad wine? Sign up for our Free Guide!

    No commitments, no spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Best Of Lists!

      • - Aldi Wine
      • - Best Pizza Wines
      • - Best Red Wines of 2022
      • - Box Wines
      • - Cabernet Sauvignon
      • - Chardonnay
      • - Chianti
      • - Costco Wine
      • - French Wines
      • - Italian Wines
      • - Malbec
      • - Merlot
      • - Oregon Wines
      • - Organic Wines
      • - Pinot Noir
      • - Red Blends
      • - Rosé
      • - Riesling
      • - Sauvignon Blanc
      • - Spanish Wines
      • - Sparkling Wine
      • - Syrah
      • - Thanksgiving Wines
      • - Trader Joe's Wine
      • - Vegan Wines
      • - Zinfandel
      • And Many More Best of Lists

    Reverse Wine Snob®: Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good.

    Copyright © 2011–2023 · Reverse Wine Snob, LLC. | Privacy, Editorial & Advertising Policy