In the never-ending quest to find overlooked gems for you to enjoy, I've been kissing a lot of frogs in the Costco wine aisle lately. I'll spare you the ugly bull frog varieties that over promise and under deliver (yes, I'm looking at you, Stag's Leap Cabernet,) and instead share a bit of surprise. But first, a quick shout out to my sis and brother-in-law who served this at a family dinner recently.
Rioja and I have a complicated past. To sum it up, we fell out of love around the time Spanish winemakers became infatuated with American oak, which, colloquially, is more commonly (and appropriately) used to age bourbon. The result has been a generation of red wines overburdened by the astringent/sweet tang that Missouri oak imparts. Word is that we may be emerging from this unfortunate era.
Whatever the case, the 2020 Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva ($10) is nothing remarkable. Except for the fact that it actually tastes like tempranillo, and has Rioja's characteristic rusticity framed by Old World acidity. It's also blessedly unencumbered by the aforementioned oak, though you can certainly sense its kiss. Sophisticated it is not, nor is it one dimensional or dull. As the Mrs said this evening, this wine is nice. Finally, it's half the price (or less) of most Rioja Reservas you'll find at your local wine shop.
So, is it really nothing remarkable?
93 points.
