Napa on the cheap, we check out the latest vintage of the Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend from Costco.
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.
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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
And here's our review of the previous vintage with the old label in case you still have any bottles on hand.
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
