For those who may not know, Costco is the world's largest wine retailer. They are also the largest purchaser of Bordeaux futures. In other words, when it comes to volume sales, no one beats Costco. They may not have the latest boutique winery, but when it comes to upscale brands, they probably are the best source of wine going. You find outstanding deals on Chateau St. Jean, Beringer, Provenance, and a host of old and new world brands that are distributed by some of the largest importers in the country.
Last week I had the pleasure of attending a tasting sponsored by the Wines From Italy institute. Among the stand outs were the single vineyard Barolos and Barbaras from Pio Cesare, which were the best in show. The Barolo was spectacular, lots of plum and dark fruit with that refreshing acidity that makes Italian reds so food friendly.
So what does that have to do with Costco? While perusing the wine section I stumbled upon Pio Cesare's 2006 standard Barolo bottling for $40. Parker rated this bottle 95, the Spectator 92, and it is young with the recommended consumption at 15-25 years! It was a no brainer and into the cart it went. Then next to this outstanding bottle was the 2007 Antinori Tiganello at $75. One of the world's great wines, available at $50 under its release price. It also fell into my cart. Now how to I tell my wife that I spent $115 on wines? Believe me, when they are opened and enjoyed, she will inevitably ask "Where did we get great wines?" The answer is Costco and it is why I always shop their wine section.
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