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It’s well known that Costco is the largest retailer of high-end wines in the United States, selling over $1 Billion in product annually.
Part of how Costco achieves all those sales is by keeping the product interesting and the price right. They buy huge lots of wine from vineyards from small to large, and rotate the stock frequently.
If you see a wine at Costco that looks good, buy it that day. Do not assume it will be available on a future trip, or you are likely to be disappointed.
My travels take me to Costco locations around the country, and the stock of wines is never the same. Local buyers clearly have influence over shaping their own inventory, using localized sales data and preferences.
Here’s a look at the best values we saw at Costco’s Atlanta (Brookhaven) location last week.
Several weeks ago I raved about ZaHa, from Bodega TeHo, a world class $40 malbec with an odd label that’s one of the best wines we tried this year. We came across its $70 big brother, TeHo, at Costco for a mere $59. That’s a phenomenal buy on a wine we can’t wait to try.
They also have Matilde La Madrid, a $56 icon wine with a 94 rating from Robert Parker. In my opinion, you wouldn’t want to drink this one today. A wine that special demands another few years of cellaring.
Black Tears, a deep powerhouse of a wine from the people who make the Tapiz Alta Collection, is a good bet at $39.
They have Kinien, the top of the line wine from Bodega Ruca Malen, for $36. That’s a choice you don’t see every day (we had a fabulous dinner at the winery a couple of years back.)
I’m curious about these two moderately priced wines, Altamira and Casarena Reserva, both under $20. Never tried either but the price is right. Any comments from folks who have tried them?
