A big name at a low price thanks to Costco, the Kirkland Signature Series Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville, Napa Valley, California.
Available exclusively at Costco for $19.99, which is $1 more than the last time we reviewed it (the 2016 vintage).
The fruit for this classic Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon comes from select vineyards in the heart of Napa Valley. Oakville AVA is renowned for producing intensely concentrated, balanced grapes from well-drained soils of gravel and sand. The full-bodied, ripe, black-fruit character of cassis and black cherry is surrounded by supple tannins, well-balanced acidity, and spice box notes of vanilla and cedar. The combination builds to a long, lingering finish with grip and bright fruit.
"Long respected as a world class region for Cabernet Sauvignon, the Oakville appellation offers darker fruit notes such as black currant and blackberry. Intertwined with this lush fruit character French oak brings out notes of vanilla, baking spice and and clove. Having some of the Napa Valley's most sought after cult wines in the region has helped elevate the status of Oakville even further." Glenn Hugo, Winemaker
Produced and Bottled by DC Flynt MW Selections
14.9% Alcohol
The Oakville AVA is one of the most exclusive areas within Napa Valley. The home of Screaming Eagle, very few wines under $20 come out of this region; in fact, I only found 1 on Wine-Searcher that had an average price under $20!
Despite this we've seen a ton of Napa Valley bargains coming out of Costco and Trader Joe's as of late. And not just Napa Valley, but the famed sub-appellations like Oakville and Rutherford.
A couple weeks ago we pitted the Kirkland Signature Rutherford Cabernet against the Trader Joe's Platinum Reserve Rutherford Cab and while both ranked similarly on taste, the Trader Joe's version was the clear winner since it was only $15.
So let's do the same thing with the Oakville Cabs from each retailer! Once again, the Trader Joe's Platinum Reserve edition comes in at $5 less.
The 2018 Kirkland Signature Series Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon begins with a very pleasant aroma of ripe black cherry, blackberry, vanilla and a bit of smoky spice.
The medium-bodied wine tastes elegant and delicious with similar flavors to the nose along with licorice and more pronounced spice notes. It's smooth and easy to drink but with good complexity. It finishes dry and long. It's quite oaky when first opened but it really opens up nicely and gains a lot of balance as it has more air. Delicious!
Compared to the Trader Joe's Platinum Reserve Oakville Cabernet, this Kirkland Signature version is easily the better tasting bottle with a 9 on our taste scale. That extra taste does come at a significantly higher cost however (33% higher to be exact) so the wines overall ratings remain similar.
2018 Kirkland Signature Series Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
Recommended Buy
You can also find more of our favorite Cabernet Sauvignon here.
