Note: We are visiting my wife’s family out on the West Coast this week and I had every intention to publish these notes on Monday as I always do. Really. But the other night I broke down and almost wept. As you can see below, the wines we have been drinking have been, well, less than stellar. I tried to approach these wines with an open mind since they sell a ton of them so somebody must like them. We did bring some wine with us, but clearly not enough. So yesterday I staged a mini-revolution–I tagged along to the local Costco and bought a bunch of wine for the rest of the week (I will post reviews of those wines next week). The thought of going to Costco to buy wine is a foreign one to me since the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania does not allow it (they do not allow anyone to sell wine other than the state run Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board stores–and they suck beyond belief). Even the Costco 30 minutes away in New Jersey does not sell wine (I am not entirely sure why).
Yes, buying wine from a huge operation like Costco does rub me the wrong way a bit, given the number of small businesses that they have likely put out of business. But I digress. I needed to get some wine and I needed it fast. So Costco it was. I publish these notes here now as a clean break from the first half of the visit.
Over the course of a week, I taste a bunch of wine, usually with friends, and almost always with my wife. This week we are out West at my sister-in-law’s house and here are some of the wines we tasted this last week before I broke down and went to buy more:
2010 Kirkland Sonoma County Chardonnay: Retail $7. I recently saw a program on NBC about the wine buyer at Cosco. She stated that buying wine was no different than buying toilet paper. This wine does not taste like toilet paper, but that might be an improvement since this wine does not taste like anything at all. Very little fruit and absolutely no finish to speak of. Not offensive in any way since, well, there is nothing really there. Average. 77-79 Points.
2003 Goats Do Roam in Villages: Retail $10? This was well past its prime and there was an odd nutty character to it. The fruit that was left did meld well with the lasagne (which was very good), but…. Average to Good. 79-81 Points.
NV Mumm Cuvée Napa Blanc de Noirs: Retail $16-18. I know, MCN is a big corporate behemoth. I also like their wines. It was one of the first wine clubs I ever joined and I looked forward to the shipments every month. Nice strawberry fruit, lively sparkle, and medium finish. This was the brief oasis in a desert of plonk. Very Good to Excellent. 88-90 Points.
2009 The Dreaming Tree Crush North Coast Red Wine: Retail $15. Dave Matthews, of his eponymous ‘Band’ is one of the partners in this wine. As I sampled this, I was trying to think of a ‘celebrity’ wine that I have tried that was actually any good. Fess Parker wines are fairly good, but he’s dead. I have heard that Greg Norman’s high-end wines are decent, but I have never tried them. Other than that… Well, if this wine is any indication, I know why it is better to avoid them as a ‘category’. After a somewhat promising nose, the palate just does not keep up. There is good fruit, but it also comes off as rather sweet, with a thin mid palate and a brief finish. Average to Good. 79-81 Points.
2010 Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay: Retail $8-10. I thought the Kirkland wine was going to be the worst Chardonnay I would taste for a while. Wrong. This really was not good. I would use harsher words, but, well, I vowed once to keep the language above board on this blog. It did not help that I was drinking this while playing poker and I lost all my chips. To my wife. Average (and that is being kind). 76-78 Points.
2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling: Retail $8-10. I am sure this must have been better a few years ago (but maybe not), but now there was virtually no fruit left and even less acidity. The sweetness was still there, enabling me to finish the glass. Average To Good. 79-81 Points.
There. I feel much better.
the drunken cyclist 
Oh dear…I did learn on my last trip to CSM that they are the largest producer of Riesling in the world, so they may have sacrificed quality for quantity. Please tell me you are heading to Woodinville soon?!
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Headed there today (and hopefully tomorrow)!
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Ouch, it was difficult to even put “like” on this post. I like your writing, but the wines definitely don’t sound like anything I want to experience… I bought wines from Costcoin California, Massachusetts and New Jersey, and they usually have very decent selection… May be you should’ve gone to Chateau Ste. Michelle or Columbia Winery instead…
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It really did not come across clearly in the post, but I went back to Costco to buy better wine after having these here (which were also bought there). Confusing. Might have to rework this post….
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I’m surprised the St Jean was so bad… That’s usually a serviceable wine for the price. The Kirkland Chard isn’t that horrible, Out of curiosity, I bought a couple bottles of their Champagne but haven’t tried yet. I was just in a Costco in Chicago picking up their tequila, which is fantastic. Noticed they had Kirkland Bourbon and Scotch, too. Will get around to posting about those. Happy New Year!
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Yeah, it was not that good and I was surprised. Although I do not drink it regularly, I have had it in the past and I did not remember it being this offensive….
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These wines all seem quite horrible. So sad to read about all these flops… I hope you never have to drink that many bad wines in just one week again!
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It was actually good–it served as a reminder that you really do not have to settle for drinking bad wine!
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PA? You’re a middle-American? No wonder I like you.
I thought, for some reason, you were a Cali-forn-I-an, and slightly astounded that you didn’t sound very much like one of those (but then, neither does one of my dearest, most beloved friends, who is one of those, which has convinced me I have no idea what one of those actually sounds like, and elucidated that I have, like everyone else has, a few stupid, unexplored prejudices)…
We fairly liked the “Goats do roam” when we tasted it, back in 2005. But I might have been impressed by the witticism of the name (because I’m susceptible to being blinded by clever wit. It’s a variation of snow-blindness). Ken thinks that you’re entirely right–it is now way past its prime; a young hopeful that didn’t live up to its potential. I suspect most of those you listed on the blasé list, were blended with the assumption they wouldn’t hang around long enough to be sampled in 2012.
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True. That Goats do Roam was likely intended to be consumed by 2005, not 2012!
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Hmmm… I’ve had the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling. And I like it – it is one of my favorite cheap, everyday whites. A 2006 though? CSM is currently selling the 2011s, and I don’t imagine that they would age. Seems like it was past its prime.
I had a Goats Do Roam once – I don’t remember anything about it, other than, I didn’t like it. And a 2003? Obviously not a recent purchase.
The Kirkland Signature beer sampler is pretty good, if you are too disgusted with the Costco wines to continue. 🙂
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I have not had the beer, but we got a bottle of the champagne and it was not too bad…
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Wondering what Costco are you buying from? I had a few wines from the Costco in Santa Rosa and I had to go back and buy more. The Picket Fence Pinot Noir comes from there.
I’ve never tried their house brand, though.
If you have any chance to hit Santa Rosa, Ca, try Bottle Barn. You may find something better there.
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Yeah, there are some good wines there for sure, but I would stay away from anything under $10. I would be willing to bet that for the more expensive wine, they consider taste/quality. For the cheap stuff, they only consider cost/profit.
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Drinking bad wine is bad enough, but drinking old bad wine takes the cake! Hope you do better with the latter half of your visit.
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Thanks! Going better already!
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