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The Kirkland Signature K Vine Syrah 2021 is a $9.99 Costco exclusive produced especially for them by House of Smith/Charles Smith Wines from Washington State. This wine is sourced from a single vineyard, Frenchman Hills Vineyard, located in the newly formed Royal Slope AVA (2020).
K Vintners has a history of making 100-point Syrah wines, they produce some of the best Syrah in the world, so it s extremely interesting to see what they can do with a ten-buck Syrah from Costco. A $9.99 wine from Costco is not precisely the same as a $9.99 wine from a retail wine shop. Store brands have significant price advantages and Costco only does a 15% markup, much lower than wine shops.
Typically K Vintners/Charles Smith Wines have extensive technical/tasting notes with information on why each vineyard was chosen. The Kirkland Signature K Vine Syrah 2021 does not seem to have any special information on making the wine. We can find out a few facts about the Frenchman Hills Vineyard.
Frenchman Hills is a 468-acre vineyard initially planted in 1998. The Syrah vines (about 98 acres) were planted in 1999 and other sections in 2014. This is a Syrah-focused vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon coming in a close second.
K Vintners/Charles Smith know Syrah grapes and Syrah wines, so they see something interesting in these grapes. Their 100-point wines come from different vineyards and are made with unique production techniques than a ten-buck Costco Syrah, but the knowledge and expertise stay the same. The alcohol content is a hefty 15%.
The Kirkland Signature K Vine Syrah 2021 Tasting Notes
The color is so dark that it is almost black. The nose is ripe red berries, a hit of spice, herbs, licorice, a funky/savory note, plum, and black cherry. The Kirkland Signature K Vine Syrah 2021 intense wine with ripe fruit and interesting spice.
This Syrah tastes like ripe cherries, black pepper, plums, spice, and dark chocolate. The mid-palate offers raspberry, very tart cranberry, vanilla, and black cherry, along with chewy tannins. The acidity is balanced and gives this Syrah good length.
The Summary
- The Kirkland Signature K Vine Syrah 2021 is a large, tasty wine. Steaks on the grill, anyone?
- If you like your Red wine rich, delicious, and bold and you only have $10 in your pocket, then this is the Red to buy.
