Costco’s Summer Wine Sampler
Today is the last day of summer, and I wanted to say goodbye remembering this “Hello Summer” Wine Sampler from Costco.
This was the first time I found a wine sampler in Costco besides their wine advent calendar. It had twelve 375ml bottles for $49.99, that’s $4 a bottle!, not bad at all, it’s a good deal and a great way to try new wines from different countries and grape varieties.
The sampler comes with:
4 red wines: Sweet Red from Italy, Sangiovese from Italy, Cabernet Sauvignon from Spain and Red Blend from Portugal.
3 rosé wines: Rosato of Pinot Grigio from Italy, Rosato of Sangiovese and Merlot from Italy and Rosé from Aragonez and Castelão from Portugal.
5 white wines: Macabeo from Spain, Chardonnay from Spain, Pinot Grigio from Italy, Sauvignon Blanc from France and Fernão Pires from Portugal.
If you like trying new things, sampler are a very convenient way to do it. I really hope Costco keeps making this samples every season, not only for advent calendars so, fingers crossed!
The selection of wines in this sample was quite varied and included some interesting varietals you don’t come across every day.
So I got to try new grape varieties that I’ve never heard about before, drank very refreshing wines that were perfect for summer season and I liked the majority of them! That’s a win! There were just a couple of wines I didn’t enjoy, but overall it was a very nice selection.
In conclusion, these wines are clearly “summer wines.” They were light, crisp and refreshing, even the red wines.
If you want to see into detail what’s in the box, below you can see each wine and my tasting notes just in case you want to try one of this wines in the future.
You can also go to the website www.hellowsummerwines.com, in there you’ll find clickable links to find out more information about any of the bottles.
Crush
Portugal - Red Blend: 40% Castelão, 40% Aragonez, 20% Alicante Bouchet
Tasting Notes:
Color: Deep Ruby.
Aroma Intensity: Medium.
Aromas: Floral notes, rose, raspberry, strawberry, tart red cherry, red plum.
Sweetness: Dry.
Acidity: Medium (-).
Alcohol: Medium (13.2%).
Body: Light.
Tannin: Low.
Flavor Intensity: Medium.
Flavors: Raspberry, strawberry, tart red cherry, red plum.
Finish: Medium.
Super light and enjoyable, tasty flavor and easy to drink. Great option for any occasion.
Nightfall
Spain - Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes:
Color: Deep Ruby.
Aroma Intensity: Low.
Aromas: Chocolate, vanilla, black plum, blackberry, coffee.
Sweetness: Off-Dry.
Acidity: Medium.
Alcohol: High (14.2%).
Body: Medium.
Tannin: Medium.
Flavor Intensity: Medium.
Flavors: Chocolate, blackberry, coffee.
Finish: Medium.
I was really looking forward to try this one, since I really like Cabernet Sauvignon, but I didn’t enjoy it. The chocolate flavor was overpowering.
Céu Do Norte
Portugal - 80% Aragonez, 20% Castelão
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Pink.
Aroma Intensity: Medium.
Aromas: Blossom, strawberry candy (Starburst candy), raspberry, nectarine, grapefruit, roses, blueberry, cassis.
Sweetness: Off-Dry.
Acidity: Medium.
Alcohol: Medium (12.1%).
Body: Light.
Flavor Intensity: Light.
Flavors: Strawberry candy (Starburst candy), raspberry, nectarine, blueberry, cassis.
Finish: Short.
Very light and super refreshing and fruity, but nothing remarkable about this wine, it’s a good option to use for cocktails, a frosé or sangria.
Lilo
Italy - Rosato of Pinot Grigio
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Pink.
Aroma Intensity: Light.
Aromas: Raspberry, strawberry, sweet red apple, blossom, rose, grapefruit.
Sweetness: Off-Dry.
Acidity: Medium.
Alcohol: Medium (12.1%).
Body: Light.
Flavor Intensity: Light.
Flavors: Raspberry, strawberry, sweet red apple, grapefruit.
Finish: Short.
It’s a refreshing wine but super light, I would prefer to use it for cocktails or a sangria.
Flores De Verão
Portugal - Fernão Pires
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Lemon.
Aroma Intensity: Pronounced.
Aromas: Candied pineapple, lime, banana, apricot, lemon pie.
Sweetness: Off-Dry.
Acidity: Medium.
Alcohol: Medium (12.5%).
Body: Light.
Flavor Intensity: Pronounced.
Flavors: Lemon, crisp apple, apricot.
Finish: Medium.
Zesty, bright and refreshing. This one was very interesting, different from other white wines I’m used to drink.
El Campeón
Spain - Macabeo
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Gold.
Aroma Intensity: Pronounced.
Aromas: Blossom, lemon, orange, pear, melon, honey.
Sweetness: Off-Dry.
Acidity: Low.
Alcohol: Medium (11.5%).
Body: Medium.
Flavor Intensity: Pronounced.
Flavors: Lemon, orange, pear, melon, honey.
Finish: Medium.
This was my first time trying this grape variety and I liked it. It’s very floral and fruity. An easy wine to drink and enjoy with pronounced flavors of melon and honey.
Sweet Red
Italy - Vino Rosso Semi-Dolce
Tasting Notes:
Color: Medium Ruby.
Aroma Intensity: Medium.
Aromas: Floral notes, Strawberry jam, raspberry, cassis, caramel.
Sweetness: Medium.
Acidity: High.
Alcohol: Medium (12%).
Body: Light.
Tannin: Low.
Flavor Intensity: Medium.
Flavors: Cassis, strawberry jam.
Finish: Medium.
This is the only wine I couldn’t finish, it was not my style at all, I didn’t like it. Is not a bad wine, but it just wasn’t my style.
Birds on a Wire
Italy - Sangiovese
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Ruby.
Aroma Intensity: Medium.
Aromas: Herbs, tomato, basil, strawberry, cherry, wet soil, dust, stones.
Sweetness: Medium.
Acidity: Medium.
Alcohol: Medium (12.5%).
Body: Light.
Tannin: Low.
Flavor Intensity: Medium.
Flavors: Tomato, basil, strawberry, cherry.
Finish: Medium.
I didn’t like this Sangiovese in particular, I’ve tried other Sangiovese that are super tasty, but this one is too sweet. It reminds me of a barrel sample, as if it was still in development and not ready to bottle.
Sovereign Virtue
Italy - Rosato of 51% Sangiovese, 49% Merlot
Tasting Notes:
Color: Medium Salmon.
Aroma Intensity: Medium.
Aromas: Raspberry, grapefruit, red cherry, cranberry.
Sweetness: Dry.
Acidity: Low.
Alcohol: Medium (12%).
Body: Light.
Flavor Intensity: Medium.
Flavors: Strawberry candy (Starburst candy), raspberry, grapefruit, red cherry, cranberry.
Finish: Medium.
Refreshing, fruity and super enjoyable! It’s a great option for any occasion.
Hello Summer
Italy - Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Lemon.
Aroma Intensity: Light.
Aromas: Lemon, crisp apple, apricot, honeydew, blossom.
Sweetness: Off-Dry.
Acidity: Medium.
Alcohol: Medium (12%).
Body: Light.
Flavor Intensity: Light.
Flavors: Lemon, crisp apple, apricot.
Finish: Short.
Refreshing and fruity. It’s a simple wine.
Pique-Nique
France - Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Lemon.
Aroma Intensity: Pronounced.
Aromas: Passion fruit, melon, lemon, apricot, peach, pear.
Sweetness: Dry.
Acidity: Medium.
Alcohol: Medium (11.5%).
Body: Light.
Flavor Intensity: Pronounced.
Flavors: Lemon, crisp apple, apricot.
Finish: Medium.
Out of the 5 white wines in this sampler, this one was my absolute favorite. I don’t usually love Sauvignon Blanc, but this one I could drink it every single day! It’s super fresh, crisp and fruity, perfect for summer.
Reflective Wings
Spain - Chardonnay
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Lemon.
Aroma Intensity: Medium.
Aromas: Lemon, pear, honeysuckle, apricot, flint, grapefruit, chamomile, vanilla.
Sweetness: Dry.
Acidity: High.
Alcohol: Medium (13.1%).
Body: Medium.
Flavor Intensity: Medium.
Flavors: Lemon, pear, honeydew, grapefruit, grape.
Finish: Medium.
It’s tasty and refreshing, I really enjoyed it. If you don't like oaky chardonnay and you are more into refreshing wines like sauvignon blanc, this is the perfect chardonnay for you!
