Mass Market 2023 Cabs and more from Costco and Sam's Club

I’m always debating whether buying a wine with a specific appellation, especially one which is well regarded versus a generic wine from a long standing producer. Most of the top wines that I used to buy from Sonoma and Napa are now generic blends or so they appear but still good quality.

So, over the next year or so, I plan to taste many wines in comparison to see if I do actually prefer wines from a specific prestige appellation over blends conceived by brilliant designers to push all the right buttons. Yesterday, I had a glass of Canyon Road Merlot (Gallo’s mid-range restaurant pour) and it did, indeed, punch all the right buttons; soft, oaky, fat, fruity, perfectly balanced and long on the palate. For $5 a glass, the fact that it didn’t pretend to have any distinct quality was easily over looked as I gobbled down a big fat Ruben.

CABS

We were over at Sam’s club and picked up a few wines and some absolutely awesome prime fillets. Today, we hit Costco to get a few other items as well as a few more wines. When we got home, the comparison in what we bought wine wise offered up a compelling mini tasting. First up, 2023 The Federalist Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon CA (14.5% abv) $13.18 at Sam’s Club. This is a wine I used to sell when I was with Great Lakes. At that time, it was Napa Valley appellation but, I’m guessing that to stay competitively priced they went with Lodi in the Central Valley where property and grape prices are much lower. The nose is pure black fruit defined by currants, blackberry and a hint of spice. The middle palate is quite palate gripping at first but quickly melts into a long persistent tannic mouth feel. For most tasters, I’d guess it is a bit too young though I really like, overall, the fresh lively fruit and cleansing finish. Next up is 2023 Members Mark (Sam’s) Alexander Valley (Sonoma County) Sallyvine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve CA (14.2% abv) CA $10.76 at Sam’s Club. I was curious how a house brand Cab from a highly acclaimed appellation could be a few dollars less than a Lodi Cab. Clearly, the fist whiff says it all. This is a wine from highly acclaimed terroir and as such offers complexity, finesse and very recognizable cedar, pine forest, pure Bordeaux-like fruit focus and an inviting maturity. On the palate, the high pitched berry fruit sings while the forest floor-like compost stays constant. It is quite a bottle of wine for the money and I believe it will age well. But, I’ve got to force myself not to put anymore wine in the cellar. I’m too old for that. Finally, I spotted what appears to be an unbelievable price on 2023 Kirkland (Costco) Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon CA (14.5% abv) $6.99 at Costco. I hate to be influenced by name dropping but the back label has a note by Andrea Card, the Coppola Winemaker. Does this suggest that this wine is Coppola for a fraction of the price? I’m sure that is what is suggested, but it is probably what Coppola was ashamed to sell under their own label! So, let the wine speak. The nose is much more mature than either of the preceding wines with a very seductive combo of strawberry jam, subtle oak and highly volatile plum liquor. The palate shifts gears with youthful grip, herbs, wood tannin and a very long bitter chocolate finish. This is quite an impressive wine, especially for $7. Again, cellaring a few bottles will pay dividends.

Of course, this is a very small sample so no general conclusions are advisable. In this small sample, I did like the wines ranked by specificity and prestige. All were equal quality, that is all were made expertly and precisely with the best methodology. Yet, I do believe there is intrinsic value in sites which offer a greater distinction and identification. If I had to score them, I’d give the Federalist and the Kirkland an equal score of 16+/20 even though, I’d rather drink the Kirkland. Something indefinable set the Members Mark apart so maybe, I’d go 17/20 even though it is not higher in any sort of measurable quality.

RHONE

I’ve been searching for traditionally styled Cotes du Rhone now, since it disappeared shortly after the 1990’s. I clearly remember the day we got off the highway near Bollène in 1991 and stopped at the first winery tasting room just off the freeway ramp. We enjoyed the wines and when we arrived at the Mas de Bouvau to meet Robert Mayberry we told him of our adventure. He commented that he was familiar with the winery and stated that they were transitioning to the “international” style as opposed to the “traditional” style. Over the next couple of weeks, we visited many wineries with Robert and enjoyed traditional Rhones that now I refer to as desert island wines. These are wines that are so alive, edgy, with vividly emphatically razor precise pure fruit essence, and spice, acid, exotic aromas and flavors that they don’t sit on the palate they DANCE on the palate. Back in the 1990’s we imported containers full of these types of wines and customers gobbled them up as fast as we could unload them. My two favorites were Domaine de Grand Prieur Cotes du Rhone and Domaine du Grand Tinel Chateauneuf du Pape. Both of these wines were so alive that we drank them every day for years and not only never tired of them but every sip was a new experience. Where did those wines go? In the early 2000’s wines from Calatayud, Campo de Borja and Zaragosa to mention a few areas in northern Spain started appearing in the US imported by Jorge Ordonez. These wines filled the bill for a while and those wines are still around but the flavors I crave disappeared. Enter Portugal, same thing. Right now, Portugal seems to be the best bet for finding that sort of wine though a far cry from the Rhones of the 1990’s. So, when I saw a highly rated Cotes du Rhone in the WINE ENTHUSIAST magazine at Costo I was all over it. To continue this column we opened a bottle of 2024 Kirkland Cotes du Rhône Villages FR (15% abv) $7.49 at Costco. My first impression made me think of the day we got off the freeway in Bollène for our fist on-the-spot tasting of Cotes du Rhone. Yes, this wine is an international style that no one anywhere wouldn’t like, but like the wines we tasted that day in France, it does have some redeeming qualities. It is certainly fresher and more lively than most Rhones on the market today and as it airs, that vivid edgy fruit essence does try to peek through. It comes close to delivering traditional Cotes du Rhone but stops just short of a comforting AHHH. At this price, I’m not complaining but it is not what I had hoped for. Has anyone else noticed that as soon as a relatively obscure region becomes popular that all of a sudden the wines become less engaging than they did when they were trying to emerge into a market? Why kill the goose the lays the golden eggs?

WINES OF EUROPE BOX

On our first trip to Costco this month we were looking for the Côtes de Bourg / Premiers Côtes Bordeaux box that our friends in Washington said they purchased a month ago. Well, it wasn’t at our Ann Arbor Costco yet. Instead, we purchased the Wines of Europe box, which a year or so, I said wasn’t a particularly good value wouldn’t buy again. So much for that, the easiest person to sell is a salesman, so, yes, I’m always a sucker for what looks like an interesting purchase. The first wine was an Italian 2021 Filari Galasso Montepulicano d’Abruzzo DOP ITALY (12.5% abv) $8.75. The 90 point James Suckling rating is a bit optimistic. I’m starting to think that the starting point for these awards is a lot higher than when I was judging. Back when Tasters Guild, American Wine Society, Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition and Great Lakes Wine Competition were the standards, pretty much a wine with no flaws got a Bronze (low 80’s score) a wine with no flaws and some redeeming quality got a Silver (mid to high 80’s) and a wine with no flaws and compelling quality, perfect balance and finesse got a Gold (90+ score). I think what was yesterday’s Bronze is today’s Gold among wine reviewers. I guess it is now a ten point scale starting at 90 going up to 100. Anyway, this wine is nice enough with ripe, open, easy, simple, rustic aromatics leading nicely into good body, depth, firm tannin and a memorable mouth feel. It tastes like Italian wine, so that in itself is a plus for me. It is a wine that I’d gladly give a BRONZE medal and score in the low 80’s. Our second in line is another James Suckling 90 pointer, 2022 Artisanal (Jose Maria Fonseca) Vino Regional Alentejano Red Blend PORTUGAL (13% abv) $8.75. Though a pretty nice wine, it seems a bit duller and less emphatic than most of the Portuguese wines. We’ve been enjoying a lot of Portuguese wines lately and this is more or less the middle of the road style that won’t offend anyone though probably not loved by anyone. The nose has an interesting hazel nut nuance surrounded by fresh red fruit. The palate is much brighter with edgy acidity, cleansing citrus nuance and a finish that reminds me of persimmons or strawberries. Again, hardly a 90 pointer but creeping into silver, maybe 85 or 86 points. The next wine I think we’ve already had under a different label (see More Bargains 2025 and scroll down to 1/23/2025-1/28/2025 “JACKPOT!” below) at a much lower price. 2022 Esteban Martin ULULA Red Blend SPAIN (14% abv) $8.75 has little info on the bottle but the website says it is a Garnacha / Syrah blend from Cariñena. Certainly, that is what it tastes like. To me it is worthy of its Wine Enthusiast 91 rating. The nose is vivid and alive with intensely bright Garnacha red fruit which seamlessly flows into tannic Syrah black fruit on the palate. This is my kind of wine. But, is it the same wine Costco sells under a different label for $4.99 or is this the “reserve” version? I’ll have to say it is a bit more settled than the cheaper “vino de varietal” was six months ago but a lot changes in six months. Either way, either price, it is a GOLD medal / 90+ in my book. The last bottle in the Wines of Europe Box is a nice segue into the next Costco box. Concluding this segment is 2023 Château Bel Air LaClotte (Merlot) Bordeaux FRANCE (13.5% abv) $8.75 which might be the youngest freshest Bordeaux I’ve encountered. Even in France, it is uncommon to find young Bordeaux with this level of vitality. It is a 91-92 point James Suckling award for good reason. This wine is just fascinatingly bright with lively red fruit starting in the engagingly raw and bracing aroma and well into the savory, just-picked berry fruit that dances on the palate. If this is what infant Bordeaux tastes like, why wait for it to mature? Funny how what is old is new and new old. As you know, I’ve been lamenting the disappearance of this kind of wine from the marketplace. The last place I would have ever expected to find it is Bordeaux. I’ve been looking in the wrong place apparently. Climate change?? I love this wine and if presented to me, it would be a solid GOLD medal winner. Definitely 90+. So, this concludes our Wines of Europe Box. Certainly the Esteban Martin and the LaClotte are worth every penny and there is nothing wrong with the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or the Portuguese red so, I’ll probably give it a go again next year; same time same place.

2022 BORDEAUX BOX

This is one of the Costco annual highlights for me. After several years of enjoying way above average Bordeaux wines from the Premières Côtes (Bourg, Blaye, Cadillac etc. ) I did a bit or research to see if these Château Bottled wines were ligit or just some sort of wine factory churning out wine for Costco. I contacted the CEO of Gonfrier Frères whose holdings in the Premières Côtes, supply these wines to Costco. He sent me an amazing set of slides illustrating the various domains and the geological composition of each property. So, although this is a very large operation, each Chateau does represent a specific property with its own distinct characteristics. Having lived a few hundred yards downstream from De Zwaan for many years, the 2022 Château le Grand Moulin Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux FRANCE (12.5% abv) $7.50 felt like the right wine to start off our exploration into this small sampler of the great 2022 Bordeaux vintage. Like the LaClotte above, this is really young wine. Unlike, the LaClotte, it is very unsettled. It still has significant fermentation odors, the fruit has not really emerged and although it does smell and taste like Bordeaux, it does not show much else when first opened. Fast forward to this morning after sitting overnight, and the nose and palate have achieved remarkable clarity. Though still not as pure and precise as I have experienced with most Gonfrier Frères selections, it does show a nice streak of plummy palate coating fruit with an interesting mineral-like spice in the somewhat tannic finish. For now, I’ll reserve judgement. The next wine is a also a 90 pointer, this time a BEST BUY WINE ENTHUSIAST choice. 2022 Château duLuc Côtes-de-Bourg FRANCE (12.5% abv) $7.75 shows a lot more fruit and a really nice sense of Bordeaux terroir but is, nonetheless, still a pretty unsettled bottle of wine. Nice black fruit and some compost too but, like the wine above, still smells of fermentation and just feels a bit out of cync. Again, I’ll reserve judgement on this one too. For the next wine, no reservations needed. This WINE ENTHUSIAST 90 pointer is precisely why I’ve been a big fan of the Costco Bordeaux Box. 2022 Château de Laville Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux Grand Cuvée FRANCE (13.5% abv) $7.75 shows vividly fresh red fruit with precision. The fact that it is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon might account for the cedar and cassis to go along with pure red fruit, clear sense of Bordeaux terroir and rich tannin grip. It will never possess the class and finesse of a Grand Cru but, as good as it is right now, cellaring will be rewarded because it has the ideal balance which will allow lots of complexity to creep in while the refreshing aspects stay strong. Yes, it is correctly a 90 point wine. This brings us to the final bottle in the Bordeaux Box which is a James Suckling 91 point wine. 2022 Château de Lyde Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux (13.5% abv) $7.75 possesses clear, red Merlot fruit purity. As one inhales the lively fruity aroma the freshness is not singular. Amongst the fruit, a mélange of leather, wood spice, and tobacco enter as well. That nose is captured again on the palate and ramped up a bit too. This is a lot like the de Laville but with many complexities one might expect from a slightly older wine. It is certainly a 90+ point wine in my book worthy of GOLD if I’m handing out medals.

OTHER WINES FROM MASS MARKETERS

While out at Costco and Sam’s we picked up several other items. One was a 2023 Mark West California Pinot Noir CA (13.5% abv) about $12 which took first place on two tables and first place overall at the recent American Wine Society Pinot Party. I was amazed that this wine was universally praised by a group that large accounting for so many different tastes and preferences. This is a vineyard and winery that was founded during the heyday of Sonoma’s rising viticulture prowess. Originally it was a smaller privately owned operation with a vineyard in Mark West California and the winery located in Santa Rosa. It was purchased by Constellation Brands and sold to E&J Gallo. The vineyard still exists as part of a Farm Conservancy. The grapes in this bottle, however, could come from anywhere within the Gallo holdings and most likely is a blend of many diverse properties. The wine itself has a very emphatic smoky earthy bouquet which continues into the palate which has a roasted sesame / roasted hazel nut nuance that is very distinct among the mélange of red and yellow tropical fruits. This may sound like a contradiction but it definitely tastes like Pinot Noir yet bears zero resemblance to Burgundy. No, none of the depth or complexity of Burgundy but gobs of juicy ripe fruit flavors which, I’ll have to say are enjoyable. I can see why it scored so well at Pinot Party.

This brings us to a WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100 90 pointer, and it is worthy of the accolades. 2022 José Maria de Fonseca Anticiclone Peninsula de Setúbal Red Blend PORTUGAL (13% abv) $7.99 at Costco starts out with a huge avalanche of quite volatile fruit essences in an unanticipated palate saturating, mouth coating manner. This is serious stuff and it just builds more texture with every sip. I could drink this every day. Another highly rated Robert Parker’s WINE ADVOCATE 94+ point wine we picked up is 2021 Morandé VIGNO Old Vines, Dry Farmed Carignan Valle del Maule CHILE (13.5% abv) $16.89 at Costco. The term VIGNO indicates that it is farmed in traditional methods from Old Carignan Vines in the Maule region. This wine is not huge, it is massive! I cannot argue with the 94+ rating; it is unlike anything I’ve ever encountered before. WOW! This is not only bigger than big, but it also delivers exotic unfamiliar scents and flavors that are extremely curious but also, infinitely pleasing. Hard to describe but I think the marketing info is spot on in calling it “bold with high acidity and tannin with baking spice, earthiness and umami”. It is well worth the price of admission. With a very tough act to follow, we opened the James Suckling 95 point 2019 “1853” Old Vine Estate Selected Parcel Malbec Mendoza ARGENTINA (14.3% abv) $14.99 at Costco. After the VIGNO, everything seems mild and light but after a few sips to come back to reality, this is a very pleasing wine though maybe a bit overrated and overpriced. The black fruit, tar, tobacco and earth in the nose invite reinforcements of the same on the palate plus a rich texture that coats and cleanses. Overall, it is a very pleasant wine more or less like the VIGNO but milder and not quite as in-your-face.

That wraps up our exploration of Big Box Wine for this week. What I continue to see is that price is no indicator of quality. Sure, if you spend $100 you almost always get something remarkable. But, more often than not, I prefer wines around or under $10 to most costing $15 to $20.

Enjoy in Good Health,

A Brian Cain, the Michigan Vintner