Credit: Food & Wine / Costco Wholesale / Luís Seabra Vinhos
Key Points
By purchasing wine in large-scale quantities and partnering directly with producers for its private label products, Costco is able to offer incredible deals on wine.
The bulk retailer delivers great value at low prices if you know which bottle to buy.
We consulted certified sommelier Amanda McCrossin on her eight favorite bottles of red wine from Costco, and they all cost under $20.
Thanks to its low pricing and ability to level the playing field between household names and under‑the‑radar producers, Costco has quietly become one of the best places to buy wine in the country. The chain’s mix of national brands, European imports, and its own Kirkland Signature products means that shoppers can leave with a weeknight red for less than $8 or a Gran Selezione Chianti Classico for under $20 — prices that are increasingly rare anywhere else. But navigating the store’s shelves to find the best value and flavor still requires a bit of strategy.
Certified sommelier, podcast host, and wine-focused content creator Amanda McCrossin says finding the best wine at Costco starts with looking at the label. “The more specific the location on the label, the better signal it sends about quality,” she explains. A bottle marked “Sonoma Coast” or “Douro” tells you far more than a broad “California” designation, and a detailed back label — one that talks about farming, fermentation, or aging, rather than just tasting notes — is an immediate green flag.
Even with this helpful insight, deciding which options to try first in the wide world of Costco wine can be challenging. To help shoppers get the best bang for their buck, McCrossin selected eight spectacular bottles that show what kind of red wine you can get at Costco for $20 or less — wines with real provenance, thoughtful winemaking, and the kind of transparency that encourages consumers to buy with confidence.
Ryme Cellars Chillable Red, $16
Credit: Food & Wine / Ryme Wine Cellars
Ryme Cellars’ simply titled “Chillable Red” is “a bit of a unicorn” and a rare find at this price point, McCrossin says. The ruby-red wine is made by a husband-and-wife duo in Sonoma, California, known for their transparent farming and minimal-intervention winemaking.
Light, bright, and meant to be served cold, it drinks like a cross between Beaujolais and rosé, with juicy red fruit and a breezy, almost white‑wine energy. It’s the definition of an anywhere wine, perfect for picnics, patios, pairing with charcuterie, or sipping a glass solo. The organic, dry‑farmed fruit and native fermentation behind the bottle make it a standout value.
Related: This Aldi Chardonnay Was Just Named Wine of the Year — and It’s Under $10
Le Grand Bouqueteau Chinon (Cabernet Franc), $13
Credit: Food & Wine / Le Grand Bouqueteau
Chinon remains one of the Loire Valley’s best-kept secrets, and this offering from Le Grand Bouqueteau shows why. Cabernet Franc is the star here, yielding red fruit, violets, and herbs, in addition to the graphite‑and‑green‑pepper note that makes this grape so distinctive.
McCrossin calls Chinon “one of the great food wines of France,” a product of its natural acidity and savory profile, and recommends pairing it with grilled vegetables, chicken, or pork. With real terroir credibility and a producer known for restraint instead of flash, this wine is priced exceptionally well at just $13.
Luis Seabra Xisto Ilimitado, Douro, Portugal – $13
Credit: Food & Wine / Luís Seabra Vinhos
Luis Seabra, formerly the head winemaker at Quinta do Crasto, brings talent and experience to this Douro red. Built on Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz, it offers the ripe depth of a California blend without the weight. The sommelier explains that this import is “your red meat wine,” ideal with ribeye, lamb, or a slow Sunday roast, and benefits from a short decant. Portugal’s still‑undervalued status keeps the price astonishingly low for the quality and site‑driven character in the glass.
Kirkland Signature Gigondas – $15
Credit: Food & Wine / Costco Wholesale
Gigondas is often described as Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape’s wilder sibling, and this Kirkland bottle captures that energy at a fraction of the usual price. Rich, spiced, and full‑bodied, it layers dark cherry, blackberry, garrigue, and black pepper with the rustic structure that defines the Southern Rhône. McCrossin describes this as a “cool‑weather, Sunday dinner wine,” excellent for serving with braised short ribs, lamb shoulder, or other comforting, slow‑cooked dishes. Wines from the region typically start at $25–$40, making Costco’s $15 price tag an unbelievable steal.
Kirkland Signature Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – $12
Credit: Food & Wine / Costco Wholesale
Good Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley rarely dips below $25 in price, but Kirkland Signature’s rendition is an outlier. It’s classic Oregon Pinot: elegant, medium‑bodied, and restrained, with crunchy red fruit, forest floor, and subtle spice. If you’ve ever wanted to pair red wine with salmon, McCrossin suggests trying this versatile bottle. Thanks to strict American Viticultural Area (AVA) rules and a quality‑first culture in the Willamette Valley, this Pinot provides regional character without the usual markup.
Kirkland Signature Côtes du Rhône – $7.50
Credit: Food & Wine / Costco Wholesale
At just $7.50, this Côtes du Rhône is both a weeknight workhorse and the kind of drink you want to stock up on for entertaining. Juicy, easy‑drinking, and Grenache‑forward, it features notes of red and dark fruit, Rhône spice, and soft tannins in a crowd‑pleasing style.
McCrossin says it’s “the wine you buy when you need two cases for a party and don’t want to think too hard about it — except it’s actually good.” Rotisserie chicken is her ideal pairing — an easy option since you can grab one at Costco — but pizza, pasta, and burgers would all work.
Related: These Under-the-Radar Red Wines Deliver Big Flavor for Less
Schug Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $16.70
Credit: Food & Wine / Schug Winery LLC
Schug Winery is a legacy Sonoma producer with a long history of crafting cool‑climate Pinot Noir, and this product reflects that experience. The Sonoma Coast’s foggy, windswept conditions generate a wine with ripe red and dark fruit, earthy undertones, and a crisp, lingering finish. McCrossin calls it a “dinner party Pinot,” noting it’s an impressive wine without being showy and goes well with roasted duck, salmon, lamb, or mushroom‑forward dishes. For a producer with this history, the price is a rare find.
Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Gran Selezione – $20
Credit: Food & Wine / Costco Wholesale
Gran Selezione is Chianti Classico’s top tier, requiring 30 months of aging and estate‑level fruit, with bottles usually running in the range of $40 to $60. This one delivers serious Sangiovese character: bright cherry, dried herbs, leather, tobacco, and firm, refined tannins.
The sommelier notes that it’s engineered for enjoying with Italian foods, like bistecca alla Fiorentina, wild boar ragù, and aged pecorino. Considering the strict DOCG and Gran Selezione standards behind the wine, McCrossin says the $20 price is almost shocking.
Read the original article on Food & Wine
Dining and Cooking