Costco Wines

While I usually visit Wine House to look for a specific wine for a specific occasion, I often browse the Costco wine section when I am at Costco shopping for other things. I've found that the Marina del Rey location actually has a decent and interesting selection at a range of values. Their selection rotates quite often, particularly with international producers, and there is always something new and interesting to try. Currently, there are three wines in particular that I've purchased multiple times (you can find them stacked in the boxes section to the right of the wines that are in the wooden crates).

1. 06 Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec from Argentina: this has been our winter staple, particularly for dinner parties where we go through multiple bottles. It is full-bodied, yet well-balanced and drinkable. It drinks well on its own or paired with a variety of hearty food, from steaks, to chili, to pizza, to pasta. At just over $12, it is a decent value for an everyday red.
2. 09 Crios Torrontes from Argentina. Torrontes is an Argentinian grape that I haven't really seen elsewhere. It has a nice perfume-y floral nose, like a viognier, and a very nice, interesting and rather intriguing taste. It has a relatively dry finish, despite the initial perfume. It pairs well with rich or heavily seasoned food, like Chinese food. I had it last week with macaroni and cheese and this week with whole roasted fish simply seasoned with garlic salt, zucchini and young garlic soup, and Japanese celery sauteed with chicken. A bottle is $11.89 at Costco. I've tried some Crios reds, including the malbec and syrah, and they never disappoint; they are all decent values around $12 as well. If you like viogniers and dry rieslings, you'll like the Torrontes.
   
3. 08 Sterling Sauvignon Blanc made with Organic Grapes from Mendocino: we tried this at the Spa Theme wine club at Jen's house. It tastes like a straightforward nice sauvignon blanc, crisp, refreshing, with just the right amount of fruit; very easy to pair with foods. We had it last night with homemade spinach and garlic pizza and rainbow chard, proscuitto and egg pizza (pictured below!) At $9.99 with organic grapes, it is another great value for an everyday wine.