10 Best Chardonnays at Costco in 2023 [Fill Your Cart Time!]
Costco is a hidden gem for Chardonnay wine, especially US varietals from their exclusive brand Kirkland.
But they also have Argentinian and French wines of exceptional quality for special occasions starting from only $10.
Whether you prefer oaked or unoaked Chardonnay, Costco has lots to love, and you needn’t spend much for a great wine-tasting experience.
In this guide, I reveal the best Chardonnays to pick up from Costco in 2023.
10. 2018 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay
Produced with grapes from the cool region of Napa Valley and aged for 10 months in 90% French oak, the 2018 Duckhorn Chardonnay is a classic French-style Chardonnay with beautiful tropical notes, ripe flavors, and low sugar.
It opens with a bouquet of pineapple, stone fruit, lime, and white flower, with a touch of oak. Bright acidity on the palate brings tropical fruit, butter, and oak flavors to life, with the silky mouthfeel framing hints of white peach.
Aging in French oak (40% new) gives this Californian Chardonnay a complex and alluring profile, with an oaky undertone carrying across the palate. It goes beautifully with white fish, scallops, lobster tail, and fresh green vegetables.
It's a cracking wine and a great way to start this list of recommended Costco Chardonnays with a bang!
9. 2017 Laguna Chardonnay
The cool volcanic terrain of the Russian River Valley is the perfect host for Laguna’s bright, acidic Chardonnay. The wine sees no oak aging, with subtle notes of butter, vanilla, citrus, and pear dominating the palate.
Laguna Chardonnay is a better option than Duckhorn if you prefer green fruit to tropical fruit. Creamy vanilla pear on the nose frames honey and lemon notes, with the palate bringing bright acidity, citrus, and quince to the fore.
Because it’s unoaked, Laguna lacks the toasty hit for a long finish, making it a refreshing wine with excellent approachability. The acidity and green fruit flavors pair wonderfully with mild and creamy cheeses, pasta with pesto, and shellfish.
8. 2017 Zolo Unoaked Chardonnay
Our first Argentinian entry is a cracker. The Zolo Unoaked Chardonnay has bright acidity, with citrus, quince, and melon flavors. The simple, fruity profile lacks oak and butter, giving it a clean, fruity taste.
Fresh notes of green apple, peach, lemon, and tropical fruit give the nose a wonderfully bright personality. The palate is crisp and refreshing, introducing hints of kiwi, peach, pear, and lychee, stripped of oak to keep things clean.
It’s hard not to love this wine’s mouthwatering acidity and crisp, tangy flavors. It’s an excellent choice with crab, prawns, fish pate, and chicken and vegetable terrines. Try it with salmon and green leaf salad for a refreshing lunch.
7. 2020 Kirkland Signature K Vine Chardonnay
Produced for Costco by Charles Smith, the Kirkland Signature K Vine Chardonnay perfectly balances green and tropical fruit notes, fresh acidity, and bright aromas. It’s perfect for hot summer days and sipping with friends.
The nose has lemon, bosc pear, melon, and mild oak notes. The palate adds butter, peach, and honeysuckle notes. It is moderately acidic with a zingy mid-palate, with hints of white flowers and vanilla on the finish.
I love this wine with roast chicken salad, grilled turkey, pasta in white sauce, dauphinoise potatoes, grits, and white fish. Sushi and shellfish, like langoustines, clams, and mussels, are also perfect food pairings.
You can read my recent review of this budget Chardonnay to learn more.
6. 2016 Kirkland Signature Premier Cru Chablis
We always have high hopes for Chablis Premier Cru wine, and the Kirkland Signature line doesn’t disappoint. The cool, Burgundian climate produces crisp and fragrant grapes, which reflects here with no oak aging to preserve the fruity flavors.
The bouquet offers honeydew, melon, and Meyer lemon, while the palate offers orange peel, lime zest, and crisp green apple. A chalky minerality carries through the palate, with bright acidity and a lively but light mouthfeel.
This is one of the finest unoaked Chardonnays at Costco, with delicious summer flavors and lip-smacking minerality. Pair it with green vegetables like asparagus, crab, fishcakes, poached fish, grilled chicken, and creamy cheeses.
5. 2017 Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley Chardonnay
If you like oaky, buttery, vanilla notes in your Chardonnay, look no further than the Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley line. Aged in French oak, it has a strong oak flavor, hints of spice, and a refreshing minerality.
You can expect oak, lemon blossom, stone fruit, graphite, and baked pear on the nose. Flavors of baked apple, pear, fig, and lemon zest are wrapped in oak, giving this wine a delicious baked fruit profile with a mineral edge.
Bright acidity and medium alcohol make this wine effortlessly drinkable and a treat at the dinner table. It goes beautifully with fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, chicken thighs, and mild spices like cumin and smoked paprika.
4. Kirkland Signature Sonoma Chardonnay
Buttery smooth with a sweet kick, Kirkland Signature Sonoma Chardonnay is a popcorn delight. Butter and citrus dominate the nose and palate, with a touch of oak and vanilla set into a creamy texture with sharp acidity on the finish.
This Chardonnay pours light gold with apple, pear, orange citrus, and butter on the nose. The palate delivers butter, cream, and ripe citrus lashings with bright acidity and a layered finish with tart apple and a caramel aftertaste.
Medium alcohol and a lush finish give this wine outstanding drinkability. It’s perfect as a table wine and for sharing with friends. Ideal food pairings include chicken or fish in creamy or butter-based sauces and vegetable dishes.
3. 2019 Marcel Servin Chablis
The 2019 Marcel Servin Chablis is a light Chardonnay with low-medium alcohol, no oak, and citrus and green fruit flavors. It’s a quintessential Chablis wine, unoaked and bursting with fresh notes. A hint of white flower delivers depth.
We adore this wine’s lemon and lime nose with hints of quince and chalk. The palate has starfruit, green apple, apricot, and lime zest, with a touch of almond. The dry, acidic profile leads to a sharp finish with minerals.
With relatively low alcohol and complex layers, 2019 Marcel Servin Chablis delivers a taste sensation. Pair it with pork, chicken, turkey, grilled fish, and garlic prawns. It also pairs well with savory snacks and mild and soft cheeses.
2. 2017 Copain Tous Ensemble Chardonnay
Finely aged on its lees for 10 months in 5% new and 95% neutral French oak, the 2017 Copain Tous Ensemble Chardonnay is a buttery, toasty wine with minimal alcohol and bright notes of Meyer lemon and green apple on the palate.
This Chardonnay delivers fantastic depth, produced with temperate climate grapes from Anderson Valley/Mendocino. A lemon and vanilla cream nose leads to oak, butter, and vanilla flavors, underpinned by tart apple and lemon.
Hints of hazelnut and lemon curd give 2017 Copain Tous a wonderfully morish personality, perfect for parties. You can enjoy it with cured meats, smoked and cream cheeses, salads, seafood, and chicken, making it incredibly versatile.
1. 2019 Louis Jadot Macon-Villages Chardonnay
The 2019 Louis Jadot Macon-Villages Chardonnay is slightly lower in alcohol than your average Chardonnay and it isn't oaked either.
It's made with really high quality grapes from the best vineyards within the prestigious Mâcon Blanc Villages appellation area.
This unoaked sensation has a light gold color, with tart green apple, bosc pear, and butter shortbread notes on the nose. The palate adds doses of honeysuckle, lemongrass, and white blossom, with a slight minerality on the finish.
Acidic but low in alcohol with bright, fruity notes, this is a juicy Chardonnay you can enjoy anytime. It pairs beautifully with grilled and roasted chicken and pork, monkfish and other meaty fish, and shellfish, including steamed mussels.
