2005 Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford, California

A couple of years ago, Costco, the big discount store that competes with Wal-Mart's Sam's Club, started selling wine and spirits under their Kirkland label. Where I live, only the wine is available at the local stores. We have yet to buy a wine that has disappointed us.

To be sure, Costco doesn't own a vineyard or a winery. They contract with winemakers all over the world, they aren't just limited to California and their home turf in the Pacific Northwest.

This wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley Rutherford, was purchased earlier this summer. The price points on these wines are quite reasonable. This was less than $15. According to the label, you can cellar this and enjoy to 2012. (This link might be short-lived. Go to costco.com for more info.)

The maker of this wine is the Adler Fels Winery, owned by the Adams Wine Group.

Presentation/Appearance - 7/10 Kirkland has a consistent label appearance, making their private label easy to spot in stores. The wine itself is a gorgeous dark garnet, not opaque, but with a purple sunset translucence on the edges of the liquid. Very appealing.

Smell/Odor/Aroma - 6/10 The nose is alcohol soaked raisins, a little burn on the nose hairs. Makes you think that this will be young and harsh. Fruit scents can't seem to top the boozy viny nature of the nose.

Taste/Flavor - 7/10 Spicy, light plums start it all but they quickly give way to some mild tannic flavors. There is the alcohol presence to the fore again, but it complements the tannic acids. The finish is lengthy.

Finish/Satisfaction - 7/10 I already said the finish was lengthy. The mouthfeel is full, hot spiciness lingers on the tongue. This is a comfortable, as in plush, cabernet, that is easy to drink, but never simple.

Overall - 6.85/10 A solid wine that is great value if you can find it at Costco. Drink some now and store some for later. We paired this with sirloin from Polyface Farms and were not disappointed.

Has anyone had the other Kirkland wines? We like the Australian Shiraz. I also enjoyed the Port. We have a Chateauneuf-du-Pape waiting in the wings.

I'm also curious about the scotches they've offered in partnership with Macallan.