The Kirkland Signature Carneros Pinot Noir 2024 is an $8.99 Costco perennial wine. Here is a link to our review of the 2021 vintage.
The Story
The Carneros AVA is at the southern end of the Napa Valley and just north of the San Pablo Bay. Carneros is situated in both Sonoma and Napa. The majority of the vineyards are in Napa, and the vineyards used for the Kirkland Signature Carneros Pinot Noir 2024 are on the Napa side.
Alison Crowe is again the winemaker. She is the VP of Winemaking for Plata Partners. Plata Partners controls 20,000 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards. You have likely sampled their wines without knowing they were involved.
Carneros, being a part of the Napa Valley, rarely offers value-priced wines. Unless it is from a store brand such as Trader Joe’s or Costco.
There are no production notes for this Pinot Noir, and with Napa wines, which vineyards are used is important and directly related to the price of the wine.
At $8.99, there is no use being fussy about the vineyards, and you have to let the winemaker choose the best available grapes.
The alcohol content is 14.5%, which is elevated for a Pinot Noir wine.
The Kirkland Signature Carneros Pinot Noir 2024 Tasting Notes
The color is still see-through garnet red. The nose is black cherry, herbs, a little spice, a hint of minerality, crushed fall leaves, and plum. The Kirkland Signature Carneros Pinot Noir 2024 is balanced and enjoyable.
This Pinot Noir tastes like muted cherry, a rough-edged, but interesting spice, black licorice, ripe plum, pencil lead, and raspberry. A solid mix of familiar and strange flavors.
The tannins are soft, and the acidity does its job.
The Summary
- The Kirkland Signature Carneros Pinot Noir 2024 is a bargain at $8.99.
- A well-known AVA and a talented winemaker are a great combination.
