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 Rioja Reserva - Costco Scores Again?

    By: Jon Thorsen Published: March 16, 2023 Last Updated: March 16, 2023

    Revisiting the latest vintage of this real deal Rioja Reserva aged 30 months in oak barrels, the Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva.

    Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva - Costco Scores Again?

    100% Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain. The wine is aged 30 months in oak barrels and another 6 months in bottle before release.

    The Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva is available exclusively at Costco for $7.99. It is bottled by Bodegas Eguia and imported by Quintessential, LLC.

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

    SIGN UP HERE

    From the bottle:

    Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva is an elegant wine made from 100% Tempranillo grapes grown in the region of Rioja. Aged 30 months in oak barrels and cellared for six months in the bottle prior to release, this ruby-colored wine has intense, spicy aromas with a hint of licorice. Vanilla flavors on the palate leave a pleasant, lingering, well-balanced finish.

    Bottled by Bodegas Eguia
    13.5% Alcohol

    We've reviewed this wine a number of times here on Reverse Wine Snob and have found it to be consistently good, although some vintages are definitely better than others. The producer this year is once again Bodegas Eguia and like the last couple vintages it spends 30 months in oak. Previous vintages have ranged from 36 months in oak for the 2013 to only 24 months when the wine was made by Bodegas Muriel.

    Of course, in order to be labeled as a Reserva strict guidelines must be met including three years of aging with at least one of those in oak. 30 months in oak is pretty astounding to me given the cost of those barrels and that we're talking about a $8 wine! (Granted these are likely very large barrels but still.)

    The 2018 Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva needs a LOT of time to open up. Once it does, you'll find a pleasing aroma of blackberry, vanilla and cola along with secondary notes of licorice, mint, cedar and more.

    At first sip, I probably wouldn't peg this as a Rioja Reserva like we've been able to on past vintages. After it has some air, it starts to reveal that classic Rioja character that can only come from being well aged and spending some significant time in oak barrels. Medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins, it's also lightly spicy.

    Just like the previous vintage this was barely a Taste Rating of 7 at pop and pour. And while it did very slowly improve (it was actually at its best on day 2) it was never able to get to a higher rating. At just $7.99 we're not complaining, but it has been much better in the past.

    It ends dry with more blackberry and vanilla plus some long-lasting cola and cinnamon notes.

    2018 Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva

    Taste: 7 (87-88 points)      Cost: 9
    OVERALL RATING: 7.5

    RECOMMENDED BUY

    Looking for more of our favorite picks from Costco? 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!

    You can also find more of our favorite wines from Rioja here.


    And here's our review of the 2017 vintage.

    The 2017 Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva begins with a really lovely, harmonious aroma after being opened a few hours. Blackberry, vanilla and balsamic along with secondary notes of licorice, mint, cedar and more all combine quite nicely.

    Tasting the medium-bodied wine reveals that classic Rioja character that can only come from being well aged and spending some significant time in oak barrels. Smooth with soft tannins, lightly spicy and featuring great balance this wine is a pleasure to drink.

    A 7 at pop and pour and it slowly and surely improves as it has time in the glass but we still thought is was lacking a bit of depth versus previous vintages.

    It ends dry with more blackberry and vanilla plus some long-lasting cola, cinnamon and balsamic notes. While it doesn't get quite as high of a rating this time around it's still a remarkable value for the price.

    2017 Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva

    Taste: 7 (87-88 points)      Cost: 9
    OVERALL RATING: 7.5

    RECOMMENDED BUY

    Filed Under: Costco, Kirkland Signature, Spain, Spain - Rioja, Tempranillo, Thanksgiving

    << INSIDER DEAL! Single Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir XX% Off
    A Smoking Good INSIDER DEAL! The Piedra Creek Benito Dusi Zinfandel >>

    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