Pretty tasty Pinot for just $11, we check out the latest vintage of the Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from Costco.
Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California.
The Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is available exclusively at Costco and this vintage is down $1 to $11.99. That makes the second year in a row the price has dropped, which is pretty unusual these days! Starting with the 2023 vintage the wine is also enclosed with a screwcap, which could account for some cost savings but nevertheless we applaud the switch in a wine like this made for immediate consumption.
Like many of the Kirkland Signature wines, it is cellared and bottled by DC Flynt MW Selections. The winemaker for this vintage is once again Alison Crowe, while in the past it has been either Glenn Hugo (from Girard) and Nancy Walker (from Vintage Wine Estates). It seems like they rotate these same winemakers around all the different labels these days.
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From the bottle:
The Russian River Valley AVA is located in Sonoma County, inland from the Pacific Coast. The warm growing season is influenced by the Pacific Ocean, where the cooling fog allows the grapes to develop rich, full flavors while retaining beautiful acidity.
“A core of dark cherry, pomegranate and raspberry combines with vanilla, brioche and warm spice notes leading into a rich, complex mouthfeel followed by a long, smooth finish.” — Alsion Crowe, Winemaker
Cellared & Bottled by DC Flynt MW Selections
14.5% Alcohol
Despite the different winemakers over the years, the wine tastes remarkably similar to previous vintages (see last year’s review below.)
The 2024 Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley Pinot Noir begins with pleasing aromas of cherry, cranberry and some assorted minty and herbal notes plus cola, licorice, rhubarb and a touch of earth. It’s a nice start.
Tasting the wine shows that while it’s not super complex, it is some pretty tasty Pinot with bit of toasty oak. It does need a good amount of time to open but once it does it features a smooth mouthfeel with cherry, cranberry, black tea, licorice and cola flavors. Balanced and tasty, this is a crowd-pleasing wine.
More cola and a little bit of tobacco and black tea lead into the dry, long finish. And it was even better on day two so be sure to give this one time to breathe.
Once again this is a very solid Pinot Noir for such a low price (just $11). As you would expect it doesn’t tend to last too long on the shelves this time of year so grab it while you can.
2024 Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Looking for more of our favorite wine picks from Costco? Browse our multi-page listing of recommended wines along with more information on how to best shop the store!
You can also find more of our favorite Pinot Noir here.
And here’s our review of the previous iteration of this wine, the 2023 vintage.
The 2023 Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley Pinot Noir begins with pleasing aromas of cherry and some assorted minty and herbal notes plus cola, licorice, rhubarb and a touch of earth.
Tasting the wine shows that while it’s not super complex, it is some pretty tasty Pinot with just a touch of sweetness adding to the mass market appeal. It does need a good amount of time to open but once it does it features a smooth mouthfeel with lots of sweet cherry and cola flavors. A bit on the simple side and perhaps lacking some depth on day 1 but balanced and crowd-pleasing nonetheless.
More cola and a little bit of tobacco and black tea lead into the dry, long finish. And it was even better on day two so be sure to give this one time to breathe. Once again this is a solid Pinot Noir for just $12.
2023 Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
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