Alberta is the only province in Canada were wines, spirits and ales are sold at Costco. When two of our adult children moved to Alberta awhile back, while visiting them I would make a wine run and thought I had gone to heaven because of the prices. In BC where we previously lived, all the wines in both private and gov’t stores were priced through the roof due to a prohibitive 116% markup, which constituted the ‘wholesale’ price structure. Add to that whatever is needed to make a profit and finally, the 10% liquor PST and 5% GST.

So, since moving to Alberta last year due to retirement and to be close to said children and their children (our grandchildren), I have been able to ‘shop around’, so to speak and see what the Alberta liquor landscape is like. A word though. Alberta does not have a liquor tax nor a provincial sales tax. And Costco, as far as I know, only marks their products up 8%. Just an FYI for you.

To make a long story short, my go-to stores are the Real Canadian Superstore for some of my beer (Red Racer, Railyard, Collective Arts et al), Costco for our wine, and if I want something really special, I head over to Co-op Liquor or Sobeys/Safeway, which both have a great selection of craft beer. I should mention that this is only in our little community of Leduc (pop, 34,000+ approx). There is a fantastic little shop in Edmonton (20 minutes away) called Keg and Cork, which has a great selection of craft and import beers and is the go-to place for whiskey (whisky).

Our local Costco is the largest location in the Edmonton region, which now has seven Costco Warehouses and is also the largest in western Canada at 154,000 square feet. All of that being said, the wines that we have available at our Costco are fabulous. So without further adieu, here are some of these tasty wines we have tried.

One of the first we tried even before moving here was their Kirkland brand Prosecco. HOLY CRAP.  We like this even more than Champagne. The Kirkland Prosecco Asolo DOCG is produced in a bone dry style, which is probably why we like it. In the words of wine guru Robert Parker, there are ‘cascading gobs’ of tropical/orchard fruit with vibrant crisp acidity balancing the palate. At a ridiculous price of $10.99, this is one (of many) of our house wines. It could be said that a Kirkland Prosecco is opened every night at Casa Martini.

While I cannot drink Prosecco all the time, I need some vibrant reds and whites. One of the first Costco wines we latched onto is their 2016 Kirkland Sonoma Vineyard Zinfandel ($17.99). Sourced from 40+ year old vines, this is the perfect foil for bbq’d ribs. Loads of clove, white pepper, blueberry and blackberry jam aromas that lead into a mouthful of fruity blackberry, licorice, cedar and sweet spice. With the addition of little Petite Syrah,which gives it the characteristic supple tannins and concentrated fruit flavours, the wine displays more heft while maintaining an appealing, easy-drinking quality.  A better than average, easy-sipping barbecue red at a fair price.

This is my go-to red when I want something cheap and cheerful. On the back of the label of 2017 Kirkland Malbec ($11.99), the winemaker is listed as Sergio Case, whom Google will tell you is the head winemaker at Trapiche, so it’s pretty clear where this wine comes from. Absolutely incredible, intense with aromas of smoked meat (think pastrami), loads of juicy, spicy blackberry, cassis, dried black olives, anise and leather. The palate is soft and velvety with black raspberries, black currant, crushed berries, cocoa and grilled meat, with medium to full-bodied with silky smooth acidity and medium tannin. 

I love Sauvignon Blanc but a lot of New Zealand Sauv Blanc is quite mediocre. However, the 2018 Oyster Bay ($12) is stunning. Loaded with fresh aromas of kiwi, gooseberry, grapefruit, pineapple and green apple with hints of peaches, lime and melon. The crisp, racy acidity on the delicious, mouth-watering, finish makes this the perfect match with oysters, steamed mussels, shrimps, prawns, crab or lobster, most fish courses and salads.

The 2016 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel ($23) scored 93/100 points by the Wine Spectator and they said…”Plump and loaded with rich, jammy fruit, this Zinfandel is a pleasure to drink. Bold accents of wild berry, spicy cinnamon and licorice glide dynamically toward plush tannins. Drink now through 2025.”

I find aromas of clove, white pepper, blueberry and blackberry jam that leads into a mouthful of fruity blackberry, licorice, cedar and sweet spice. With the addition of little Petite Syrah, which gives it the characteristic supple tannins and concentrated fruit flavours, the wine displays more heft while maintaining an balanced firm mid-palate and a long finish. A better than average, barbecue red at a fair price.

I wish I had bought more of this. I love Rhone wines and feel that they offer some of the best value from the ‘Old World’ and the 2017 Kirkland Signature Cotes du Rhone Villages ($12) is a great example of this. Showcasing a deep ruby/purple colour, the intense black raspberry, cherry, cassis and kirsch liqueur-like fruit is followed by gorgeous aromas of licorice, smoke, incense, leather and a hint of new oak. The texture on the palate is pure hedonism with its full-bodied character of black and red fruit, herbs, incense, and spice. This wine literally tastes more like a Cru Rhone ($30+ per bottle) than a Cotes du Rhone. The finish is full-bodied, and opulent with soft, velvety acidity and very firm tannins, which is in keeping with this top-notch vintage. Cellar and drink this marvellous wine over the next decade.There will be more Costco reviews as we consume the ones we have. There are just the two of us so it may take some time.

In Vino Veritas