14 Best Costco Pinot Noirs in 2023 [Ultimate Guide]
Pinot Noir’s light body, low tannins, and fruit-forward palate make it highly approachable and one of the most popular red wines in the world.
The Costco Pinot Noir selection is really good and it's a fantastic place to pick up American, Italian, and French varietals for as little as $8. Costco even has an exclusive wine producer – Kirkland – with several top hits.
In this guide, we recommend 13 amazing Costco Pinot Noirs in 2023 from independent and global wine houses.
14. 2019 Four Graces Pinot Noir Willamette Valley - $20
We start our list with a finely boned Pinot Noir produced in the Mediterranean climate of Oregon, whose long, dry summers, freezing winters, and mineral-rich soils produce intensely concentrated, fruity, and lively Pinot Noir.
2019 Four Graces Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is made with late harvest grapes from multiple AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), with an extended 18 nine-month aging process in 50% new French oak to develop a rich palate.
Ruby red with aromas of black cherry, red berries, mocha, and cocoa, this wine lures you in with a gorgeous bouquet. Sweet, jammy raspberry flavors, backed by gentle tannins, give it a delicious drinkability without being too rich.
The smooth mouthfeel and round tannins make Pinot Noir Willamette Valley a perfect match for salmon and other fatty fish, roasted chicken, and meaty pasta. Pair it with herb crackers and soft cheeses for a delectable snack.
13. 2021 Kirkland Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - $13
This is a wine I tried very recently and it's great value for money. At it's peak (I found it to be a bit temperamental in the video below) it was a really enjoyable Russian River Valley Pinot Noir that's underpriced.
It's fruit forward with black cherry, plum, raspberry and pomegranate providing the fruity notes. These are layered with some earthy mushroom and delicate oak. The bright acidity is well balanced and smooth tannins make it a pleasant drink from start to long finish.
12. 2019 Hyland Estates Old Vine Pinot Noir - $17
Incredibly juicy with chalky, lingering tannins, 2019 Hyland Estates Old Vine Pinot Noir gives wine lovers a pure taste of warm climate, McMinnville region Pinot Noir.
Vines produce less fruit as they age, and they produce as little as 10% of their prime yield in their twilight years. This concentrates the grapes, giving them a rich profile and letting wineries produce unique, low-series wines.
This Pinot Noir is a gorgeous varietal, with a rich nose of sweet cherry, dark fruit, and earth, with a twinge of chocolate. Flavors of dark cherry, light oak, vanilla, and baking spice give it a complex, savory profile perfect for the dinner table.
Good acidity, chalky tannins, and a silky mouthfeel pair well with meaty dishes. We love this wine with filet mignon, chargrilled steak, duck with olives, duck pate, and dark poultry meat, and it also makes an excellent pairing for smoky cheeses.
11. 2019 Kirkland Signature Willamette Valley Pinot Noir - $14
Produced exclusively for Costco, Kirkland Signature Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is an affordable tipple perfect as a sipping wine. Light fruity flavors, smooth tannins, and a dry, tart finish give it lots of character.
The wine is produced with grapes from vineyards across the Willamette Valley, aged for over six months in French oak. Cool aging imparts a softer mouthfeel than other varietals, giving it subtle fruit, earth, and oak notes.
On the nose, this ruby red has light red fruit, light smoke, and cranberries, with an undertone of cocoa. The palate is more vibrant still, with sour cherry, raspberry, red plum, and leather for a rich, decadent wine experience.
It has a medium body with robust, moderate tannins. Pair it with Mexican beef tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, Chili Con Carne, and other spicy food that needs a fruity kick. You can’t go wrong for an affordable, high-quality Pinot Noir.
10. 2017 Aquinas Pinot Noir - $10
Our first entry from the North Coast of California, 2017 Aquinas Pinot Noir, is bolder and more tannic than Oregon wines. Rich cherry, raspberry, and plum notes complement well-integrated tannins and a long, acidic finish.
The North Coast has a unique, rugged landscape for vineyards, with a Mediterranean climate backed by Pacific fog and coastal breezes. The sun-kissed Golden State is the perfect environment for refreshing, bold Pinot Noir.
2017 Aquinas Pinot Noir is medium in body with spicy red fruit notes. Aromas of black cherry, pepper, and oak fill the air, while raspberry, blackberry, blackcurrant, and clove spice flavors excite the palate with an earthy finish.
The rich, fruity profile and polished tannins work well with pork, pink lamb, and venison, while the peppery and earth notes work great with mushroom-based dishes.
9. 2018 J. de Villebois Pinot Noir - $12
2018 J. de Villebois Pinot Noir is a Vin de France wine, meaning it is produced from Pinot Noir grapes grown in France but not sourced from a specific region. You can think of it as a Pinot Noir from France rather than a Burgundy.
It is perfect as a table wine and has sweet cherry notes with a leathery, earthy undertone. It opens with cherry/berry fruit aromas with a dash of spice, with flavors of cherry, cola, red licorice, and wild strawberry.
Tangy and smooth with balanced acidity, this medium-bodied wine is morish and very drinkable. It’s not the most complex wine, which works in its favor – fruit punch, berries, and Jell-O flavors make it a crowd-pleaser.
Herby crackers and semi-soft cheeses like Gruyère, Comté, Emmenthal, and Gouda work wonderfully with 2018 J. de Villebois Pinot Noir. Try it with grilled meats and roasted veg to bring out smoky, charred flavors.
Related: Did any of these Pinots make it onto our list of Costco's best red wines?
8. 2018 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir - $12
New Zealand has a stellar reputation for Pinot Noir, and the 2018 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir is a perfect example. Produced in the Marlborough region, it is sweeter and juicier than you expect, with red cherry, berries, and a light body.
While some Pinot Noir is bold, this one is soft and flavorful, with delicate flavors underpinned by smooth tannins. The light body and sweet tannins make it approachable and easy to sip – perfect for celebrations and parties.
The nose is bright and fresh, with dark cherry, raspberry jam, and cedar aromas. The palate adds juicy black plum, vanilla, and a touch of oak, and an undertone of strawberry adds a fun, summery vibe to this elegant Pinot Noir.
Pair it with frittata, roast chicken, grilled salmon, tune, and game fish. The light body also complements spicy Asian cuisine and Pad Thai.
7. 2018 San Simeon Pinot Noir Monterey - $20
Baking spice, herbs, and oak notes give 2018 San Simeon Pinot Noir Monterey an intensely aromatic profile. It’s produced in Monterey, with the region’s short dry summers and sandy soil encouraging Pinot Noir grapes to grow slowly.
A Wine Enthusiast (2018) Editor’s Choice, this ruby red Pinot Noir has ripe flavors of strawberry and raspberry. It is almost jam-like, with a medium body leaning towards full, a soft mouthfeel, and a round, lingering finish.
Raspberry and cinnamon dominate the nose, with oak and cedar undertones hinting at the richness. The flavor profile is an intriguing mix of cherry, spice, forest floor, and raspberry, with a kiss of pepper on the finish.
Try San Simeon Pinot Noir with goat’s cheese tartlets, lamb chops with mint sauce, veal in lemon cream sauce, and duck in plum sauce.
6. 2017 Rodney Strong Russian River Pinot Noir - $16
Rodney Strong Russian River Pinot Noir delivers jammy flavors wrapped up with silky tannins - a ruby-red gem from the Russian River Valley. Its medium body makes an excellent pairing for pink meat and fatty fish.
The Rodney Strong winery began in 1959 when American dancer Rodney Strong settled in Sonoma County. Rodney chose the Russian River Valley for his vineyards, which have the best climate (dry summers, wet winters) for Pinot Noir.
Russian River Pinot Noir is a pure expression of California Pinot Noir, with notes of cherry, raspberry, and red cherry, with undertones of vanilla. It’s enjoyable and sip-worthy, with a long, lingering finish topped with good acidity.
Medium-bodied with low-moderate tannins, the wine takes on brown sugar and spice notes when left to air. Pink lamb, medium-rare steak, and fatty fish like salmon and herring make perfect food pairings for this lush Pinot.
5. 2019 Cloudline Pinot Noir - $15
Produced by the Drouhin family native to Burgundy, France, 2019 Cloudline Pinot Noir is made with Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley, Oregon. It merges French winemaking with American grapes in a fun, fruity cultural match.
Light and silky, this red goes down a treat with beginners. Mild tannins and a fruity, red cherry bouquet make it very approachable, with tight notes of earth, leather, and minerals on the palate. The finish is bright, with wild strawberries.
The 2019 vintage is considered the best, benefitting from cooler temperatures and the occasional touch of September rain. The wine takes on vanilla and cranberry notes with breathing time, giving it lots of depth.
The tannins are soft, so you can happily pair 2019 Cloudline Pinot Noir with roast turkey, chicken, creamy dishes, smoky cheeses, and ham.
4. 2020 Willamette Valley Vineyards White Pinot Noir - $25
Unique growing conditions from major wildfires in Oregon produced a late Pinot Noir harvest with brown seeds. The smoke extended the season, bringing out more tannins than you usually find in ripe Pinot Noir.
This means that 2020 Willamette Valley Vineyards White Pinot Noir has a nutty, spicy, and earthy quality missing in most white wines. It’s creamy, with a rich mid-palate, bright aromas, and a long, refreshing finish.
This is white wine – not red – with the grapes pressed gently to release juice without color, yet it has many qualities of red wine. Pear, melon, and florals on the nose lead to flavors of peach, green apple, citrus, candied ginger, and honey on the palate.
Try it with scallops, lobster, swordfish, halibut, roasted poultry, and creamy pasta. It works wonderfully with soft cheeses like brie too.
3. 2019 Vino Dell’Amicizia Pinot Noir - $13
A stunning vintage from one of Italy’s most famous winemakers, 2019 Vino Dell’Amicizia Pinot Noir explodes with dark, jammy fruit. Rich and aromatic, it has lots of intensity, with a medium plus body and unwavering acidity.
The Italo Cescon winery produced its first wines in 1957 from Manzoni Bianco and Raboso del Piave, branching into Pinot Noir a decade later.
Their Pinot Noir is dry and crisp and full of flavor, with an elegant, long finish. Dark ruby in color, it has expressive aromas of wild berries, cherry, plum jam, and pepper, with flavors of cherry, pomegranate, and lush blackberry with a bit of oak.
We find this wine perfect for sipping and enjoying with friends. The medium-full body and robust tannins make it a match for beef bourguignon, casseroles, and smoked meats.
2. 2019 Monte Degli Angeli Piemonte Pinot Noir - $8
Produced in the world-famous wine region of Piemonte, Northern Italy, Monte Degli Angeli Pinot Noir is a smooth and softly tannic red wine with currant, anise, cinnamon, and clove notes, making it a warm and earthy tipple.
The Monte Degli Angeli winery is in Puglia, Italy, specializing in high-quality yet affordable Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
2019 Monte Degli Angeli Piemonte Pinot Noir is dark ruby red with an aromatic nose of black cherry, wild strawberry, anise, and clove. The palate is rich and silky, with flavors of red fruits, cinnamon, and a hint of ginger.
We adore this wine’s velvety mouthfeel and elegant finish, which leaves a fruity taste with a slither of raisin. Lasagna, ragu, Porchetta di Ariccia, and Bollito Misto pair beautifully.
1. 2019 Kirkland Signature Carneros Pinot Noir - $10
We end our list with a Costco staple. Kirkland Signature Carneros Pinot Noir pours pale ruby, with red berries and anise on the nose and palate. A hint of spice and stewed raspberry gives it a warm character, perfect for family dinners.
Kirkland Signature produces exclusive wines for Costco, with Pinot Noir vineyards in the Los Carneros region of Napa County, California.
You can expect a fruit-forward, mildly tannic Pinot Noir with aromas of raspberry, violet, fennel seed, and black cherry. The flavors reflect the nose, with additional spice, vanilla, and tart cranberry notes on the finish.
Cheap and cheerful with savory notes, this is a great Pinot Noir for sipping. Ideal food pairings include spaghetti and meatballs, Shepherd’s pie, mushroom pasta, veal in a creamy sauce, and Pollo Alla Marengo.
