The Expensive Luxury Wine You Can Get For A Steal At Costco Is Too Good To Be True — Literally

While Costco is no longer the largest wine retailer in the United States, it's still one of the best places to stock up on your favorites and sample that new terroir you've been curious about. Living up to the warehouse chain's usual promise of decent quality at bargain prices, Costco wines are generally comparable to more expensive counterparts. In fact, many Kirkland Signature wines are made by quality winemakers in Europe, so even with cheaper bottles, you know you're not just getting plonk. However, they can't all be winners, and Chowhound's rundown of the best and worst bargain wines at Costco (by a wine expert who knows their stuff) is a much-needed sorting of the bottles to reach for and the ones best left on the shelf.

One particularly tempting wine on offer is the Barolo, an iconic Italian red made from Nebbiolo grapes grown in a few specific villages in Northern Italy. A narrow region of production gives rise to wine with distinct notes. In the case of the medium-bodied Barolo, these are a pleasant mix of fruit and spice while still retaining a high acidic and tannin profile. A true Barolo must also be aged for at least three years, and it is a good cellar wine, meaning it's best drunk after storing for a few more years.

The Kirkland Signature Barolo, while authentically sourced, is a shadow of what an exemplary bottle of this wine can be. For just around $20 a bottle, it's difficult to expect more. However, with its finer qualities subdued, Costco's Barolo can be disappointing for anyone who's sampled the real deal. Instead, we recommend spending more and picking up other wine options available at Costco (our reviewer recommended the Chianti Classico Riserva, for instance). Otherwise, it's important to know how to drink this particular budget Barolo if you're determined to get it.

The first thing many drinkers notice upon sipping Kirkland Signature Barolo is its immediate harshness. The high tannins and acidity of the Nebbiolo grape  are both apparent when you first open the bottle. Since wines get expensive with age, Costco's budget wines are relatively quite young, which means they haven't had the time to let their tannins mellow in the bottle. Another symptom of not being aged is a lack of complexity noted by our reviewer, a missing depth and intensity you'd often find in other Barolos. This is unfortunate, since the Nebbiolo grapes are iconic for their layered tasting notes and aromas. Much of these qualities are lost in the Kirkland Signature Barolo.

Understandably, Barolo wine is great for aging and is best consumed after it's spent several years in the cellar. However, stashing away a $20 bottle of Costco wine for several years isn't the best idea, and the space is better used for more expensive bottles. Our reviewer suggested that, if it's Barolo you really want to try, you should instead spend more on one of Costco's other bottles with name-brand labels. (Alternatively, there are lots of great red wine blends available for under $30.) If you do go with the Costco Barolo, it's important to know the best way to drink it to enhance its positive qualities.

Considering the starting price of a bottle of Barolo is generally about $40, Costco's sub-$20 offering has some rough edges. However, as budget red wines go, our reviewer still found it to be a decent buy. If you want to give the bottle every chance to impress, decanting it ahead of time can significantly improve the drinking experience. Young Barolos should be decanted for about three hours, so open the bottle well before you plan on drinking it. It's also a good idea to serve it in wide-mouthed wine glasses to allow further gentle oxidation as you sip.

Another great way to turn the shortcomings of Costco's Barolo into strengths is to pair it with food. The lack of complexity, combined with its strong notes, makes it a good candidate to drink alongside strongly flavored dishes. The high acidity also pairs well with a main course, since it helps cleanse the palate, and the food prevents the tannins and acidity from getting overwhelming. So, even though this won't be anywhere near the best Barolo you can find, it is a good deal, and you can still make it work if you aren't already accustomed to higher-quality Barolos.