Even more reason to love Costco

[CharlieBauer]

Over the last month or so, I scrutinized the wine aisles at Costco picking up about 10 highly rated wines for reasonable prices.

Amongst them is a South African white blend that cost just $6.

Opened it last night and enjoyed a small glass with dinner. Very nice, definitely worth more than $6.

Looked it up today and the few people that have it are selling it for $30!

That's too much, I think $15 would be the maximum, but just goes to show how great Costco are. No overpricing on highly rated wines.

I've begun to give them all my wine purchases now. I used to shop with BevMo as I liked being able to choose based on the independent ratings they included online, but they've removed those while Costco have gotten better with them.

And Costco do a great job with International wines. Apart from Chilean and Argentinian, BevMo international wines were disappointing. And their Californian wines were getting overpriced.

So switching to Costco has landed me excellent Italian, Spanish and even French wines at comparable or better prices than Californian.

Another option with more choice below $10 and similar value for money is Trader Joes.

 

[BrocLuno]

Well living here and previously working in the industry, I can say that most Calif wines are overpriced. But they have to make enough to pay the going rate for unionized farm labor, the killing property taxes, etc.

My wife enjoys a good Ausie or Kiwi wine now and then. The So Africans make some killer wines. Ditto for Chilean.

Once you have bought wine on the street in Europe, you know how cheap it can be. Some is nutty expensive. But you can buy good dinner wines in France, Belgium or Holland for prices like you just paid

And there is a Costco in Germany, near the western border

 

[CKN]

Gee... that's great you can buy wine while you wait for two hours to get your tires rotated......

 

[AirgunSavant]

I don't know why anybody would buy wine when you can grow the grapes and make it yourself.
Heck I even grow my own cork and blow the bottles. Sound like anybody we know? Lol

I don't have a Costco close, dang! I don't drink but I hear they have some great deals.
Especially on gas.

 

[Kira]

Buy promptly because availability of things can and does change at Costco.

 

[dishdude]

I haven't seen the need to spend more than $10 for an excellent bottle of wine at Costco. Their Kirkland Malbec is really tasty!

 

[crazyoildude]

two buck chuck at trader Joes...

 

[dlundblad]

This reminds me of Aldi.

Lots of lesser known brands with western European COO's.. at very good prices. German made spaetzle too.

Heck, their Blue Moon knock off is brewed in Belgium. They have wine from France and Italy too.

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Once you have bought wine on the street in Europe, you know how cheap it can be. Some is nutty expensive. But you can buy good dinner wines in France, Belgium or Holland for prices like you just paid

I know and that's what disappointed me with the Italian and even Spanish wines at BevMo.

Trader Joe's sells plenty of those everyday Euro wines.

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
I don't know why anybody would buy wine when you can grow the grapes and make it yourself.
Heck I even grow my own cork and blow the bottles. Sound like anybody we know? Lol

I don't have a Costco close, dang! I don't drink but I hear they have some great deals.
Especially on gas.


You don't have a Costco close? Quit complaining. In the time you complained about that, you could have written to Costco, bought a plot of land, filed for planning permission and advertised for all the positions.

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: Kira
Buy promptly because availability of things can and does change at Costco.


That's my excuse for opening the bottles asap. "If we like it, then we can get some more before it's sold out"

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
two buck chuck at trader Joes...

Industrial wines just don't taste right. Many are actually flavored.

 

[AirgunSavant]

Dag nabbed.... you taught me a lesson.... lol



Originally Posted By: CharlieBauer
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
I don't know why anybody would buy wine when you can grow the grapes and make it yourself.
Heck I even grow my own cork and blow the bottles. Sound like anybody we know? Lol

I don't have a Costco close, dang! I don't drink but I hear they have some great deals.
Especially on gas.


You don't have a Costco close? Quit complaining. In the time you complained about that, you could have written to Costco, bought a plot of land, filed for planning permission and advertised for all the positions.

 

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
This reminds me of Aldi.

Lots of lesser known brands with western European COO's.. at very good prices. German made spaetzle too.

Heck, their Blue Moon knock off is brewed in Belgium. They have wine from France and Italy too.


YUP! Best wine price/value ratio I have seen is found at Aldi.

 

[zzyzzx]

Does Costco sell beer?

 

[4WD]

They do have a nice selection - but ours is so close to Spec's who not only have so many wine/other choices - it is organized very well by country/region and all that ... and they discount on 6 or more so carry the plastic 6 pack holder.
They are next door to Academy outdoor store - how can you go wrong

Our Costco is a bit stand alone in location ...

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Does Costco sell beer?


Yeah a bit of everything.

Saw a lot of microbrewery and premium Belgian last time I was there.

 

[sciphi]

I wish NY allowed grocery and warehouse stores to sell wine. I've seen what Wegmans can do in Virginia and Maryland with wine. We do have some innovative distributors and retailers that have some excellent selections, thankfully. None of the states around me with Costco have liquor laws that allow warehouse clubs to sell wine.

The Costco near me has area craft beers in cases. There are some dedicated folks in my area who love those particular breweries. Sadly not my beer, else I'd buy a case.

 

[fdcg27]

Aldi does have a nice little selection of Euro wines at very moderate prices.
Those who dis Trader Joe's should be aware that most of the Charles Shaw wines are very good. To call them "industrial" reflects ignorance.
Those who would consider Costco to be Wine Central must have fairly unschooled palates.
Fortunately, we have a local food retailer here that has a wine section that by itself would comfortably hold a few Aldi locations.
They have everything from cheap and good to dearer and better to really expensive vintage French.
Just as a hint to those lacking much knowledge, Spanish wines are almost always very good and are also usually pretty moderately priced.

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Those who dis Trader Joe's should be aware that most of the Charles Shaw wines are very good. To call them "industrial" reflects ignorance.
Those who would consider Costco to be Wine Central must have fairly unschooled palates.


Since this seems aimed at me, I shall respond.

Two buck chuck is produced using mechanized industrial agricultural methods. That's a simple fact. Denying simple facts is what is ignorant.

Nobody said Costco is wine central. Just that it provides good value for quality wines. Maybe we get a broader selection here in California than you're used to seeing, especially of nearby wineries, after all, this is wine country. But in any case, for myself and many people I know who know a thing or two about wine, it's a solid choice.

Of course we also have access to many wine stores with more varied and more unique choices available. K&L wine is awesome and I go there now and again when I get the time.

But I regret not picking up the last bottle of a 96 point Napa Cab for $50 the other day at Costco. And I'm cellaring a few bottles of a 98 point Dom Perignon, now worth over $200, that I also got from Costco a few years ago.

But of course nothing I get from Costco will ever compare to your two buck chuck. LMAO!