We check out the new vintage of this big time Burgundy at a bargain, although increasing, price, the Kirkland Signature Premier Cru Chablis.
100% Chardonnay from Burgundy, France. The wine sees no oak and is aged in stainless steel for 12 months.
The 2023 vintage of the Kirkland Signature Chablis Premier Cru is available for $21.99 at Costco. This is up $3 from the 2022 version which was $18.99. Whether this is from tariffs, limited supply or something else entirely we can’t say but price fluctuations are not unusual on this particular Kirkland Signature bottling. It started at just $14.99 for the 2014 vintage! The previous high was $19.99 on the 2018 vintage.
All of that said, very few Premier Cru wines are available around $20, with most costing $30+. It is imported by Misa Imports. We’ve enjoyed previous vintages of this wine a lot, so let’s dig into the details.
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From the bottle:
2023 Kirkland Signature Premier Cru Chablis
Kirkland Signature Premier Cru Chablis is made with Chardonnay grapes sourced from the finest Premier Cru vineyard sites. The Kimmeridgian soil, a blend of limestone and clay, gives the wine a distinct minerality. The wine is aged 12 months in stainless steel tanks and has flavors of lemon citrus and white floral notes with a refreshing lifting acidity.
Pierre Brissy, Winemaker12.5% Alcohol
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Today we are revisiting this Chablis Premier Cru wine, a designation in the Burgundy region that normally carries a much higher price. Not to the level of the Grand Cru wines, these wines are nevertheless very high quality with strict controls on vineyard sites and maximum yields. A relatively cool climate, south facing slopes that get lots of sun, and the unique limestone and clay soils dotted with seashells all create a fabulous recipe for growing high-quality Chardonnay grapes.
The wine continues to be made by winemaker Pierre Brissy, who appears to be the winemaker for multiple Burgundy houses including his own winery. (2018 and earlier vintages were made by Odile Van Der Moere.) Let’s check out how it tastes.
The 2023 Kirkland Signature Premier Cru Chablis begins with a quite a pleasant aroma of lime and green apple plus a little tangerine and touches of grapefruit and chalkiness. It’s a very inviting and harmonious start.
Tasting the wine shows it to be really delicious with tons of rich, flavorful fruit and a smooth, round, vibrant and delightful mouthfeel. It features good acidity, great balance and lots more lemon, apple and pear as well as tart fruit flavors of pineapple and grapefruit. (And no buttery notes, which we appreciate.)
Plenty of chalky minerality leads into the tart, smooth, long, lip-smackingly delicious finish that also features a little sea salt minerality. This is a great example of how good unoaked Chardonnay can be and a rare chance to try a Premier Cru Chablis for around $20. I love it, although the increase in price does knock it down to just a Recommended Buy rating from the Highly Recommended rating we gave to the 2022 vintage.
2023 Kirkland Signature Chablis Premier Cru
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You may also want to check out more of our favorite Chardonnay!
Review Summary
Kirkland Signature Premier Cru Chablis - Inexpensive Elegance
We check out the new vintage of this big time Burgundy at a bargain, although increasing, price, the Kirkland Signature Premier Cru Chablis.
7.3
Pros
- Good price for Premier Cru Chablis
- 91-93 points
- Delicious unoaked Chardonnay
Cons
- Price is up $3 from the previous vintage
- Sells quick at Costco
