Sauvignon Blanc from vineyards across Marlborough, New Zealand.

Today we’ve got another review of a Member’s Mark wine from Sam’s Club that once again has a doppelganger at Costco – the Kirkland Signature Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. That wine has been a perennial favorite for us, offering a ton of value for the low price. Let’s see how the Sam’s Club version compares.

The Member’s Mark Sauvignon Blanc is available exclusively at Sam’s Club for just $6.98, so it’s the exact same price as the Costco version.

From Sam’s Club:

2025 Member’s Mark Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Origin: Marlborough, New Zealand is world famous for producing fresh, vibrant Sauvignon Blanc. Situated at the top of the South Island of New Zealand, it is hailed as one of New Zealand’s most sunny and dry regions, ideal growing conditions to maximize the unique aroma and flavors of this varietal. The warm sunny days coupled with cool nights and long ripening period are Marlborough’s advantage in the glass. The Member’s Mark team have sourced this classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc through a vigorous selection process so you can enjoy the refreshing zesty taste of the region at home. The grape selection is sourced from vineyards across the region to reflect the balanced Marlborough style.

Taste Profile: This classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has refreshing aromas of citrus, apples, lemongrass and melon with elegant underlining herbal notes. It’s exuberantly fruited on the palate with a zesty finish.

Food Match: This wine can be enjoyed as a refreshing aperitif or with a wide range of salads and white meats—think chicken, turkey, and fresh seafood, including grilled fish, oysters, prawns and mussels. It is also particularly good with goat cheeses and can handle a bit of spice/herbs including basil, coriander, mint and chilli. That makes it a perfect pair with Asian fusion dishes, allowing the fresh, vibrant flavors to work well together.

12.5% Alcohol

The 2025 Member’s Mark Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc opens with an inviting aroma of lemongrass and grapefruit plus some herbal notes and touches of tropical fruits. It’s a nice start.

Tasting the wine reveals a lively mouthfeel and lots of juicy acidity with similar flavors to the nose. This is classic Sauvignon Blanc.

It ends crisp with perhaps a touch of sweetness on the very long and lasting, lip-smacking finish. It’s quite good for the price but again just not quite as good as the Kirkland Signature version.

 
Looking for more of the best wine selections at Sam’s Club? Browse our growing guide along with more info about the store!

You can also find all of our favorite Sauvignon Blanc here!

Review Summary

A jammy, oaky and slightly sweet red blend of undisclosed varieties from California.

The Kirkland Signature California Red Blend is available exclusively at Costco for $7.99 (down $1 from the 2022 vintage) for a 1.5 liter bottle, the equivalent of $4 per 750ml bottle.

 
From Costco:

This Kirkland Signature California Red Blend has flavors of dark ripe blackberry and red cherries complimented by toasted oak and baking spice notes, which lead to a bright fruit and smooth tannin finish. A perfect match for grilled steak dishes with mushrooms, chorizo, shrimp, lamb tacos, and barbecue pork.

Cellared and Bottled by DC Flynt MW Selections
13.5% Alcohol

The 2023 Kirkland Signature California Red Blend opens with lots of jammy aromas of plum and other dark fruits. Some oaky spice, vanilla and more round things out.

Taking a sip reveals the wine to be rather jammy, oaky and sweet but it works and it will definitely please a crowd both because of the wine and the size of the bottle. Given the price per 750ml bottle works out to just $4, this offers a lot of value. We can’t get nearly as high as the Wine Enthusiast rating of 91, but it still gets to a Highly Recommended rating on our scale thanks to the extremely low price.

A nice streak of spice leads into the smooth, jammy, juicy and slightly sweet finish. It was perhaps a bit better on day 2 even after just being re-corked and left on the counter so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting at least a couple days out of this one. (If you want to make sure it lasts as long as possible, follow the instructions in our article Keeping It Fresh – How To Make Open Wine Last.

Fans of popular, slightly sweet red blends like Apothic will find a lot to like here. If you prefer more complex, dry wines, this may not be your cup of tea, but if you need multiple bottles for a party this is hard to beat for the price.

 
Looking for more of the best wines at Costco? Browse our multi-page listing of recommended wines along with more information on how to best shop the store!

You can also find more of our favorite red blends here.

Don’t miss the Overshine Crown’s Gap Vineyard Pinot Noir and the Overshine Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir.

We’re very excited to welcome Overshine Wines (which used to operate as Armida Winery) to our Insider Deals. The winery is run by David Drummond and winemaker Sam Bilbro, who you may recognize as the winemaker behind our recent (and delicious) Idlewild Nebbiolo deal.

Today we’re turning to Pinot Noir, and boy do these guys know how to how to pick vineyards! Check these two out:

The first wine in our 4-pack comes from a block of 60+ year-old vines in the Chalone Vineyard of 1976 Judgement of Paris fame! It is the oldest bonded winery in Monterey and sits at the high elevations of the prestigious Chalone AVA which features unique limestone based soils. You will receive two bottles of the 2022 Overshine Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir which we score at 92 points.

The second wine comes from the Gap’s Crown Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap. It’s a fitting name because a lot of big time producers (Kosta Browne, Paul Hobbs, Macphail, WALT, Patz & Hall, Ram’s Gate, etc.) use this vineyard. In fact, The Prince of Pinot calls Gap’s Crown Vineyard “Cool Climate Grape Nirvana“. After reviewing several vintages of Pinot Noir (and Chardonnay) scores and finding almost every one over 90 points, regardless of the producer, he declared:

The revelation for the consumer is that the name Gap’s Crown Vineyard on a bottle of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay is almost a sure thing.

You will receive two bottles of the 2022 Overshine Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir in today’s 4-Pack. We score it at 92 points.

Both wines were aged in 30% new French oak. Given these pedigrees it’s no surprise the wines normally retail for $55 and $60 a bottle, but not so today…

For the next day you can get the Overshine 2022 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 4-Pack (2 bottles of each wine) for just $83.95 ($20.99/bottle). That’s a discount of 64% saving you a total of $146 or over $36 a bottle!

ADD TO CART

 
Up first, let’s take a look at the 2022 Overshine Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir. You will receive two bottles in today’s 4-Pack.

From the winery:

2022 Overshine Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir
Chalone AVA

Chalone Vineyard is located on the west-side of Pinnacles National Park, about 60 miles east of the Pacific in Monterey County. The vineyard was originally planted in the 1900s, and our block was planted in 1960 on rolling hills at close to 1,600 feet of elevation. The soil series is unique to the Chalone area, comprised of a significant amount of limestone and decomposed granite, which means that there is quite a bit of structure around which hangs pure opulence.

The fruit was picked at optimal ripeness, destemmed and fermented at cool temperatures to enhance the fruit profile. Aging in 30% new French Oak gives a robust structure to complement the wine’s density and richness.

Rich, almost candied cherries and mineral notes pair with subtle hints of oak. The palate is textured with fruit depth and richness along with a bright and mineral finish due to the limestone soils.

13.5% Alcohol
Cork

And now on to our review:

The 2022 Overshine Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir opens with an attractive, harmonious aroma of red and black cherry plus a little licorice, forest floor, cinnamon and other baking spice along with a touch of tomato plant. It’s a wonderful start!

Taking a sip reveals this wine to be very harmonious in the mouth as well. Juicy, smooth and structured, it features similar flavors to the nose with great depth after it has a couple of hours to breathe. This is very nice and easy to drink with plenty of complexity as well.

It ends dry and juicy on the very long and lasting finish which also has hints of minerality. It was just as good on day 2. We give it a solid 9 Taste Rating putting it right at 92 points.

 
Next, let’s take a look at the 2022 Overshine Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir. You will receive two bottles in today’s 4-Pack.

From the winery:

2022 Overshine Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir
Petaluma Gap, Sonoma Coast

Gap’s Crown Vineyard is named after the weather phenomenon known as the Petaluma Wind Gap. The vineyard looks west to low-lying valleys that continue to the Pacific Ocean. Daily, these valleys fill with coastal fog, slowing the ripening process, creating a unique balance of rich flavors, textures and minerality.

The Gap’s Crown Vineyard sits East of the town of Rohnert Park and rises up the western slope of Sonoma Mountain. This side of the mountain gets pelted with constant wind and fog that tunnels in through the Petaluma Gap and continues out to San Pablo Bay. Established on a relatively steep hillside, the Pinot Noir from Gap’s Crown can be summed up by a single word, complexity.

The fruit was picked at optimal ripeness, destemmed and fermented at cool temperatures to enhance the fruit profile. Aging in 30% new French Oak gives a robust structure to complement the wine’s density and richness.

Layers of dense dark cherry and forest floor are rounded by subtle hints of oak. The palate is velvety and long with pleasant structure for aging or food pairing.

13.5% Alcohol
Cork

And now on to our review:

The 2022 Overshine Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir opens with an attractive, harmonious aroma of black cherry and cranberry plus a little licorice, spice and forest floor. It’s a great start!

The wine tastes juicy has similar flavors to the nose with the fruit turning a bit more tart in the mouth. Smooth, elegant and very balanced this is just a wonderful, all-around Pinot.

It ends dry, quite long and a bit juicy on the lasting finish and was even a bit better on day 2. This is the definition of tasty! We give it a solid 9 Taste Rating putting it right at 92 points.

Cheers,
Jon

Here’s what people are saying about our Insider Deals:

“I have tell you that I have been really, really pleased with this whole reverse wine snob endeavor. The info you provided gives me enough to purchase with confidence. The shipping is unbelievably convenient. The wines are right in that price-tag-sweet-spot. And everything has been just as described. Great job.”

“Hi Jon, Best thing I ever did is buy wine thru you…not been disappointed with any of them! Thank you SO MUCH!”

“Just love your site and the great deals on unique small production vino. You do an outstanding job!”

“Jon, this is a wonderful wine all around. You have become our go-to person for wonderful wines and wine values. Please keep up the excellent job that you’re doing! Regards, a very satisfied customer.”

“Wow!! Just got my shipment. It is absolutely tremendous.”

“Another terrific selection from Reverse Wine Snob. Keep up the good work!”

“I’ve bought a ridiculous amount of wine from your deals in the last year…I just want to say that I really appreciate what you guys have done with RWS. I discovered your site looking up Costco wine reviews and have been hooked on your insider deals ever since. I’ve been referring every friend I know.”

“I recently took advantage of your offer. So glad I did, and now sorry I did not buy more (like all those quotes on your website!)”

“I have been buying your Insider Deals for about 3 years now and we have enjoyed every one of them. They are wines that we never would have found on our own… ”

“The only thing I have ever been disappointed in with an Insider Deal is that I didn’t purchase more.”

“Received my shipment today and just cracked open my first tasting. It blew me away…I guess I have another top pick to my list. Can’t wait for my next glass…”

“You can count on great value from the wines offered.”

“the wine is, in a single word, superb! as have been all other wines offered and purchased since I first learnt about you…”

“love them all so far…Glad we ran across you. Too bad we can not order them all.”

“Also your prices are pretty amazing.”

“Hey Jon! You do great work. I’ve bought a bunch of the Insider Deals and probably 80% of the wine I drink comes from them. Great values!”

“The shipping on the Insider Deals is another great part of the deal. We recently paid $27 to a winery in California to ship 6 bottles (same packaging as the insider deals)….yikes!”

“Just got my 6 bottles and having my first glass. WHY, WHY didn’t I buy a case??!!”

“Would you happen to be offering this one again anytime soon? I regret not buying more. This was exceptional!”

“I am seriously considering having the Insider Deals as my primary go-to. Why did I not do this sooner? Thank you”

“I love this wine I bought from you!!!! Thanks for doing what do do!!!”

“This an absolutely amazing wine, Jon…You’ve outdone yourself!”

“Thanks Jon. We already drank all 6 of the first order so we were ecstatic to see you offering it again. My wife and I both love it.”

“You are a man after my own heart. I have always looked for the best and least expensive wine and you just made it easier. Cheers!”

“Hi Jon, well, I did something people have warned about – bought 6 bottles and should have bought 12!”

“Have had nothing but great bottles since I started ordering your recommendations. Thanks so much!”

“We’ve gotten in on three of the deals and have been VERY happy with the value. I originally was going to do a wine club thing but the insider deal appeals to me much more.”

“I really missed the boat by only getting four bottles of this offer last month. Should have bought least at a case.”

“My wife and I have really enjoyed getting to know new wines (and better than we used to buy!)​ Thanks for what you do and providing this service!​”

“Jon – you have to stop offering all of these amazing deals. My self discipline is fading fast!!”

“ I only drink Reverse Wine Snob wine, it actually doesn’t make sense to buy from a store. You don’t get anything interesting, unique, and full of value otherwise.”

“Jon, I should have bought more! Delicious!!”

“I am a Certified Specialist of Wine. I love your deals. You pick great wines!! Kudos to you for getting us great deals!”

“Wish I would have ordered more!! It was great. Looking back, I wish I didn’t open it at our annual pool party. It’s gone. **Sob**”

“Hi Jon, just had to let you know that I love this wine!!!! Thanks for doing what you do.”

“I have purchased many times over the last several months and loved the wines!”

“Seriously amazing deal!!! I love a bold red, and Reverse Wine Snob delivered!!! Perfect for a rainy night!!”

“AMAZING!! Damn, I should have bought a CASE!!”

“WOW. Just… wow. Absolutely delicious. If I knew it was going to be this good, I would have bought a case… or two. This was dead-center in the sweet spot of what I like. Thank you!!”

“I have loved all my RWS deals, can’t wait to get this one.”

“I know that you don’t need to have ‘customers’ email you every time they like a wine that you have suggested/rated, and I have enjoyed many of your recommendations. But this Tannat was spectacular! Wow! That was amazing!”

“I finally opened a bottle of this and it did not disappoint. Delicious!!!”

“Thanks for a great service! We’ve been loving your emails and wine deals!”

“This insider deal is a great wine!!! So glad I got it!!”

“I’ve gotten quite a few of these and loved them all — keep them coming!”

“Bought a case wish I had purchased 2-3 cases. Fantastic buy for the price.”

“We purchased several times and have been massively impressed. Thank you.”

“I love your approach to wine and all the great wine finds out there. It’s tempting to order almost every time you send out a deal. Keep up the great work, truly appreciated. ”

“Wish I had doubled my order!”

“By the way, you guys have a great company – smart concept, well executed. I may never have to make another trek to the wine store again. And your customer service is pretty darn good. Thank you. ”

“I am very much enjoying the wines I have been getting from you. I have discontinued all other wine services as the quality of the wines you select seem superior to what I was receiving elsewhere.”

“That’s tremendous…I wish I had tripled my order.”

Get the 2022 Overshine Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 4-Pack while you can! This deal ends Friday 4/17 at noon Pacific.

If you have more questions or any trouble ordering, please check out our FAQ or just click the Help button at checkout! No account is necessary to save your info for future orders or to checkout. GPay and Apple Pay are also enabled.

Big, delicious and surprisingly authentic, this single vineyard wine comes from the Circle O Vineyard in the High Valley AVA of Lake County, which is known for volcanic soils and high elevations. That sounds a lot like the area around Mt Etna in Sicily which produces some unique, big and structured examples of this variety!

The wine spends an incredible 28 month in very expensive oak barrels (Taransaud, Sylvain, Tonnellerie Cadus and Demptos), 40% of which were new.

Our Ovis deals have been very popular, and with very good reason, but today’s wine takes things up a notch, both in taste and uniqueness – you rarely see plantings of Nero d’Avola outside of its Sicilian home.

We will definitely be stocking up on this one ourselves, especially when you can get it for so much less than the $60 SRP through today’s deal…

For the next day you can get 3 bottles of the 2019 Ovis Nero d’Avola for just $75.95 ($25.32/bottle). That’s a discount of 58% saving you over $34 a bottle!

ADD TO CART

From the winery:

2019 Ovis Nero d’Avola

Tasting Notes: Amazing wine takes time. From the steep slopes of High Valley we have produced this classic Italian style wine. Nero D’Avola is one of Italy’s indigenous varieties. The canopy holds up well to extreme heat, and the berries can handle high elevation and lack of water. We aged in oak barrels for two years to allow the oak and the fruit to harmonize.

Floral notes, tart cherries, and black tea fill the aroma, blending with flavors of fresh plum, toasted walnuts, and black olive with hints of dried cherries. They are all distinct notes but work together in this beautiful ruby garnet wine.

Vintage Notes: 2019 was a wet spring followed by a mild summer. It was ideal for long hang time and getting phenolic ripeness. Early season frost singed low areas but cooled off all northern locations and allowed for extended hang time. Acids remained naturally higher this vintage and brix were slow to accumulate until they spiked at the end of the season. Power shutoffs made pressing and pumping grapes difficult. In the end we got all the fruit in and made some beautiful wines for the mild season.

VARIETAL BREAKDOWN: 100% Nero D’Avola
APPELLATION: High Valley, Lake County, California
VINEYARD: Circle O Vineyard

Barrel Selections: Taransaud, Sylvain, Tonnellerie Cadus and Demptos
40% New oak, 75% French, 25% American
28 months in barrel

Brix at harvest 26.8
pH 3.7
Total Acidity 5.8 g/L
Ingredients: Nero D’Avola grapes, yeast, tartaric acid, potassium metabisulfite and time.
Vegan, Estate Grown, Gluten Free
572 6-packs produced

15.6% Alcohol
Cork

And now on to our review:

The 2019 Ovis Nero d’Avola opens with a very fragrant and very pleasing aroma full of tart, ripe dark berry fruit, some herbal and floral notes and licorice. It’s a savory start.

It just takes one sip to realize that this is a surprisingly good and authentic example of the variety. It’s unmistakably Nero d’Avola from the first sip. Why don’t they plant more of this in California?

The wine features plenty of tannins, plenty of acidity and plenty of juicy, tart fruit plus lots of dried herbal notes throughout. The 40% new oak for 28 months adds a savory, spicy dimension as well and helps to tame all that wonderful fruit. This is a big, serious, flavorful wine with lots of deep flavors that will take your pizza or really anything in red sauce, to the next level.

It ends dry, grippy, juicy and savory on the mouthwatering and very long finish. It was just as good on day 2. This is lovely!

Cheers,
Jon

Here’s what people are saying about our Insider Deals:

“I have tell you that I have been really, really pleased with this whole reverse wine snob endeavor. The info you provided gives me enough to purchase with confidence. The shipping is unbelievably convenient. The wines are right in that price-tag-sweet-spot. And everything has been just as described. Great job.”

“Hi Jon, Best thing I ever did is buy wine thru you…not been disappointed with any of them! Thank you SO MUCH!”

“Just love your site and the great deals on unique small production vino. You do an outstanding job!”

“Jon, this is a wonderful wine all around. You have become our go-to person for wonderful wines and wine values. Please keep up the excellent job that you’re doing! Regards, a very satisfied customer.”

“Wow!! Just got my shipment. It is absolutely tremendous.”

“Another terrific selection from Reverse Wine Snob. Keep up the good work!”

“I’ve bought a ridiculous amount of wine from your deals in the last year…I just want to say that I really appreciate what you guys have done with RWS. I discovered your site looking up Costco wine reviews and have been hooked on your insider deals ever since. I’ve been referring every friend I know.”

“I recently took advantage of your offer. So glad I did, and now sorry I did not buy more (like all those quotes on your website!)”

“I have been buying your Insider Deals for about 3 years now and we have enjoyed every one of them. They are wines that we never would have found on our own… ”

“The only thing I have ever been disappointed in with an Insider Deal is that I didn’t purchase more.”

“Received my shipment today and just cracked open my first tasting. It blew me away…I guess I have another top pick to my list. Can’t wait for my next glass…”

“You can count on great value from the wines offered.”

“the wine is, in a single word, superb! as have been all other wines offered and purchased since I first learnt about you…”

“love them all so far…Glad we ran across you. Too bad we can not order them all.”

“Also your prices are pretty amazing.”

“Hey Jon! You do great work. I’ve bought a bunch of the Insider Deals and probably 80% of the wine I drink comes from them. Great values!”

“The shipping on the Insider Deals is another great part of the deal. We recently paid $27 to a winery in California to ship 6 bottles (same packaging as the insider deals)….yikes!”

“Just got my 6 bottles and having my first glass. WHY, WHY didn’t I buy a case??!!”

“Would you happen to be offering this one again anytime soon? I regret not buying more. This was exceptional!”

“I am seriously considering having the Insider Deals as my primary go-to. Why did I not do this sooner? Thank you”

“I love this wine I bought from you!!!! Thanks for doing what do do!!!”

“This an absolutely amazing wine, Jon…You’ve outdone yourself!”

“Thanks Jon. We already drank all 6 of the first order so we were ecstatic to see you offering it again. My wife and I both love it.”

“You are a man after my own heart. I have always looked for the best and least expensive wine and you just made it easier. Cheers!”

“Hi Jon, well, I did something people have warned about – bought 6 bottles and should have bought 12!”

“Have had nothing but great bottles since I started ordering your recommendations. Thanks so much!”

“We’ve gotten in on three of the deals and have been VERY happy with the value. I originally was going to do a wine club thing but the insider deal appeals to me much more.”

“I really missed the boat by only getting four bottles of this offer last month. Should have bought least at a case.”

“My wife and I have really enjoyed getting to know new wines (and better than we used to buy!)​ Thanks for what you do and providing this service!​”

“Jon – you have to stop offering all of these amazing deals. My self discipline is fading fast!!”

“ I only drink Reverse Wine Snob wine, it actually doesn’t make sense to buy from a store. You don’t get anything interesting, unique, and full of value otherwise.”

“Jon, I should have bought more! Delicious!!”

“I am a Certified Specialist of Wine. I love your deals. You pick great wines!! Kudos to you for getting us great deals!”

“Wish I would have ordered more!! It was great. Looking back, I wish I didn’t open it at our annual pool party. It’s gone. **Sob**”

“Hi Jon, just had to let you know that I love this wine!!!! Thanks for doing what you do.”

“I have purchased many times over the last several months and loved the wines!”

“Seriously amazing deal!!! I love a bold red, and Reverse Wine Snob delivered!!! Perfect for a rainy night!!”

“AMAZING!! Damn, I should have bought a CASE!!”

“WOW. Just… wow. Absolutely delicious. If I knew it was going to be this good, I would have bought a case… or two. This was dead-center in the sweet spot of what I like. Thank you!!”

“I have loved all my RWS deals, can’t wait to get this one.”

“I know that you don’t need to have ‘customers’ email you every time they like a wine that you have suggested/rated, and I have enjoyed many of your recommendations. But this Tannat was spectacular! Wow! That was amazing!”

“I finally opened a bottle of this and it did not disappoint. Delicious!!!”

“Thanks for a great service! We’ve been loving your emails and wine deals!”

“This insider deal is a great wine!!! So glad I got it!!”

“I’ve gotten quite a few of these and loved them all — keep them coming!”

“Bought a case wish I had purchased 2-3 cases. Fantastic buy for the price.”

“We purchased several times and have been massively impressed. Thank you.”

“I love your approach to wine and all the great wine finds out there. It’s tempting to order almost every time you send out a deal. Keep up the great work, truly appreciated. ”

“Wish I had doubled my order!”

“By the way, you guys have a great company – smart concept, well executed. I may never have to make another trek to the wine store again. And your customer service is pretty darn good. Thank you. ”

“I am very much enjoying the wines I have been getting from you. I have discontinued all other wine services as the quality of the wines you select seem superior to what I was receiving elsewhere.”

“That’s tremendous…I wish I had tripled my order.”

Get the 2019 Ovis Nero d’Avola 3-Pack while you can! This deal ends Wednesday 4/15 at noon Pacific.

If you have more questions or any trouble ordering, please check out our FAQ or just click the Help button at checkout! No account is necessary to save your info for future orders or to checkout. GPay and Apple Pay are also enabled.

Don’t miss your chance to get the single vineyard, Bulk Buy rated Horse & Plow Napa Valley Pinot Gris for less than $15 a bottle! Ends Monday at 6pm Pacific.

Horse & Plow Winery is back with this absolutely delectable wine that features a wonderfully smooth mouthfeel and a lovely, layered texture.

As we said above, it comes from the historic Block House Vineyard in Yountville, originally planted in 1836 and thought to be one of the oldest in Napa Valley.

The certified organic grapes (the vineyard has been farmed organically since 1986) were whole cluster pressed and then fermented and aged in neutral French oak for 6 months. Just 9 barrels (225 cases) were produced. The highly refreshing, vegan friendly wine is packed with flavor but not with residual sugar (RS), having just 1 g/L.

The owners/winemakers of Horse & Plow are Chris Condos (from our popular Vinum Cellars deals) along with Suzanne Hagins and if you’ve gotten in on any of our previous offers from them than you know just how good these wines are.

Here’s a bit more about the winery’s philosophy:

Horse & Plow Winery utilizes organic farming, small lot fermentations and traditional techniques to produce balanced, food friendly and site-specific wines. Organic vineyards throughout the North Coast of California, including Sonoma, Napa & Mendocino Counties, produce wines with greater complexity and sense of place, while caring for worker health and the environment. The wines are made naturally with no synthetic nutrients or additives, no GMO’s, are vegan and contain low sulfites. Low intervention winemaking further conveys a sense of time and place in every handcrafted bottle.

Normally retailing for a very reasonable $27 a bottle, today’s 12-hour bonus deal drops that price considerably…

For the next few hours you can get 4 bottles of the 2023 Horse & Plow Napa Valley Pinot Gris for just $59.95 ($14.99/bottle)! That’s a discount of 44% saving you $12 a bottle.

ADD TO CART

As usual on these Monday bonus deals, inventory is limited, so first come, first serve.

From the winery:

Horse and Plow Winery merges the best of old and new world techniques to produce hand-crafted, authentic wines from northern California. This Pinot Gris comes from the Block House Vineyard, located in Yountville in the Napa Valley. It was hand-picked, whole cluster pressed, fermented in neutral French Oak barrels, then aged for 6 months’ sur-lee.

Aromatic, floral nose with juicy stone fruit and lush texture on the palate, crisp acidity to balance.

Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Gris
Vineyard: Block House Vineyard
Appellation: Yountville, Napa Valley
Farming: Certified Organic-CCOF
Harvest Date: 9/14
Harvest Brix: 20.8 Brix
Winemaker: Chris Condos & Suzanne Hagins
Fermentation: French Oak Barrels
TA: 6.2 g/L
pH: 3.42
ML: 0%
RS: 0.1%
Production: 9 barrels

Produced and Bottled by Horse and Plow Winery
13.9% Alcohol
Cork

And now on to our review:

The 2023 Horse & Plow Pinot Gris begins with a very attractive and inviting aroma of green apple, a little peach and citrus plus plenty of floral notes and just a touch of a lemon cream.

The first thing you notice when tasting is the wonderful, smooth, almost creamy and layered texture. It also features rich, juicy fruit similar to the nose, great balance and good acidity. This is highly refreshing and I love that is so flavorful with no sugar.

It ends dry, crisp, quite long and very satisfying on the tart finish. This is an absolute pleasure to drink. I love it!

Cheers,
Jon

Here’s what people are saying about our Insider Deals:

“I have tell you that I have been really, really pleased with this whole reverse wine snob endeavor. The info you provided gives me enough to purchase with confidence. The shipping is unbelievably convenient. The wines are right in that price-tag-sweet-spot. And everything has been just as described. Great job.”

“Hi Jon, Best thing I ever did is buy wine thru you…not been disappointed with any of them! Thank you SO MUCH!”

“Just love your site and the great deals on unique small production vino. You do an outstanding job!”

“Jon, this is a wonderful wine all around. You have become our go-to person for wonderful wines and wine values. Please keep up the excellent job that you’re doing! Regards, a very satisfied customer.”

“Wow!! Just got my shipment. It is absolutely tremendous.”

“Another terrific selection from Reverse Wine Snob. Keep up the good work!”

“I’ve bought a ridiculous amount of wine from your deals in the last year…I just want to say that I really appreciate what you guys have done with RWS. I discovered your site looking up Costco wine reviews and have been hooked on your insider deals ever since. I’ve been referring every friend I know.”

“I recently took advantage of your offer. So glad I did, and now sorry I did not buy more (like all those quotes on your website!)”

“I have been buying your Insider Deals for about 3 years now and we have enjoyed every one of them. They are wines that we never would have found on our own… ”

“The only thing I have ever been disappointed in with an Insider Deal is that I didn’t purchase more.”

“Received my shipment today and just cracked open my first tasting. It blew me away…I guess I have another top pick to my list. Can’t wait for my next glass…”

“You can count on great value from the wines offered.”

“the wine is, in a single word, superb! as have been all other wines offered and purchased since I first learnt about you…”

“love them all so far…Glad we ran across you. Too bad we can not order them all.”

“Also your prices are pretty amazing.”

“Hey Jon! You do great work. I’ve bought a bunch of the Insider Deals and probably 80% of the wine I drink comes from them. Great values!”

“The shipping on the Insider Deals is another great part of the deal. We recently paid $27 to a winery in California to ship 6 bottles (same packaging as the insider deals)….yikes!”

“Just got my 6 bottles and having my first glass. WHY, WHY didn’t I buy a case??!!”

“Would you happen to be offering this one again anytime soon? I regret not buying more. This was exceptional!”

“I am seriously considering having the Insider Deals as my primary go-to. Why did I not do this sooner? Thank you”

“I love this wine I bought from you!!!! Thanks for doing what do do!!!”

“This an absolutely amazing wine, Jon…You’ve outdone yourself!”

“Thanks Jon. We already drank all 6 of the first order so we were ecstatic to see you offering it again. My wife and I both love it.”

“You are a man after my own heart. I have always looked for the best and least expensive wine and you just made it easier. Cheers!”

“Hi Jon, well, I did something people have warned about – bought 6 bottles and should have bought 12!”

“Have had nothing but great bottles since I started ordering your recommendations. Thanks so much!”

“We’ve gotten in on three of the deals and have been VERY happy with the value. I originally was going to do a wine club thing but the insider deal appeals to me much more.”

“I really missed the boat by only getting four bottles of this offer last month. Should have bought least at a case.”

“My wife and I have really enjoyed getting to know new wines (and better than we used to buy!)​ Thanks for what you do and providing this service!​”

“Jon – you have to stop offering all of these amazing deals. My self discipline is fading fast!!”

“ I only drink Reverse Wine Snob wine, it actually doesn’t make sense to buy from a store. You don’t get anything interesting, unique, and full of value otherwise.”

“Jon, I should have bought more! Delicious!!”

“I am a Certified Specialist of Wine. I love your deals. You pick great wines!! Kudos to you for getting us great deals!”

“Wish I would have ordered more!! It was great. Looking back, I wish I didn’t open it at our annual pool party. It’s gone. **Sob**”

“Hi Jon, just had to let you know that I love this wine!!!! Thanks for doing what you do.”

“I have purchased many times over the last several months and loved the wines!”

“Seriously amazing deal!!! I love a bold red, and Reverse Wine Snob delivered!!! Perfect for a rainy night!!”

“AMAZING!! Damn, I should have bought a CASE!!”

“WOW. Just… wow. Absolutely delicious. If I knew it was going to be this good, I would have bought a case… or two. This was dead-center in the sweet spot of what I like. Thank you!!”

“I have loved all my RWS deals, can’t wait to get this one.”

“I know that you don’t need to have ‘customers’ email you every time they like a wine that you have suggested/rated, and I have enjoyed many of your recommendations. But this Tannat was spectacular! Wow! That was amazing!”

“I finally opened a bottle of this and it did not disappoint. Delicious!!!”

“Thanks for a great service! We’ve been loving your emails and wine deals!”

“This insider deal is a great wine!!! So glad I got it!!”

“I’ve gotten quite a few of these and loved them all — keep them coming!”

“Bought a case wish I had purchased 2-3 cases. Fantastic buy for the price.”

“We purchased several times and have been massively impressed. Thank you.”

“I love your approach to wine and all the great wine finds out there. It’s tempting to order almost every time you send out a deal. Keep up the great work, truly appreciated. ”

“Wish I had doubled my order!”

“By the way, you guys have a great company – smart concept, well executed. I may never have to make another trek to the wine store again. And your customer service is pretty darn good. Thank you. ”

“I am very much enjoying the wines I have been getting from you. I have discontinued all other wine services as the quality of the wines you select seem superior to what I was receiving elsewhere.”

“That’s tremendous…I wish I had tripled my order.”

Get the 2023 Point Horse & Plow Napa Valley Pinot Gris 4-Pack while you can! This deal ends Monday 4/13 at 6pm Pacific.

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100% Gewurztraminer from Alto Adige, Italy. The wine is aged on the lees in tank for almost a year followed by several more months in the bottle before release. It has 6.8 g/L of residual sugar.

It’s not often you find white wines with the ability to age but the wines of Alto Adige are a good spot to look for them. It’s also a great spot to look for excellent Gewurztraminer, which is what we have today.

Sample submitted for review. The Cantina Tramin Nussbaumer Gewurztraminer has an SRP of around $45 and can be found for slightly less (Saturday Splurge). It is imported by Winebow.

From the winery:

2023 Cantina Tramin Nussbaumer Gewurztraminer

WINE DESCRIPTION: Few realize that Alto Adige is the spiritual home of Gewürztraminer (which translates as “spice carrier” for its spicy, exotic notes) and it has been a hallmark offering at Tramin since it was founded one hundred and twenty years ago. Today, the grapes are sourced from vineyards in Montan and Tramin, where this grape is known to produce wines of particularly high caliber. The vineyard is located in Söll, a district of Tramin, at Altitude: 350 – 550 m above sea level. The soil is composed of calciferous gravel with loam on porphyry bedrock. The vines are 10 to 40 years old. The slopes are exposed Slope exposure: southeast 70%, south 30% Climate: Extreme interplay of sunny days influenced by the Mediterranean climate and cool nights marked by the cold downslope winds from the surrounding mountains

TASTING NOTES: Aroma: a kaleidoscope of aromas: rose petals, spicy blossoms of lilies, ylang-ylang, gardenia; ripe exotic yellow fruits such as cantaloupe, mango, passion fruit, lychee, citrus zest; spicy notes of dried herbs, ginger, saffron, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Taste: deeply aromatic, rich in body and essences, but with fine juiciness and salty minerality increasing with age, a nearly endless finish.

FOOD PAIRING: Nussbaumer is a truly fascinating food companion. It pairs well with antipasti of fish or smoked foods, ripe soft cheese, white meat, swordfish or tuna; ideal with shellfish and seafood, spectacular accompaniment to spicy Asian cuisine and creative spicy/aromatic creations such as combinations with mushrooms, Swiss chard, fennel, avocado, savoy cabbage, galangal, ginger, oranges, apricots, jams and fresh herbs like tarragon, rosemary, dill, thyme, bay laurel, chervil, saffron, mint or lemongrass which offer a wild interplay of aromas.

VINEYARD & PRODUCTION INFO
Production area/appellation: Alto Adige DOC
Vineyard size: 100
Soil composition: Calcareous and Clay
Training method: Pergola/Arbor-trained Guyot
Elevation: 990-1,485 feet
Vines/acre: 1,400-2,400
Yield/acre: 2.2 tons
Exposure: Eastern / Southeastern / Southern
Year vineyard planted: 1979-2004
Harvest time: September-October
First vintage of this wine: 1992
Bottles produced of this wine: 75,000

WINEMAKING & AGING
Varietal composition: 100% Gewürztraminer
Fermentation container: Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation: 10 days
Fermentation temperature: 70 °F
Type of aging container: Stainless steel tanks
Size of aging container: 50-240 HL
Length of aging before bottling: 11 months
Length of bottle aging: 4 month
Total SO2: 125 mg/L
pH level: 3.68
Residual sugar: 6.8 g/L
Acidity: 4.7 g/L
Dry extract: 29.8 g/L

14.5% Alcohol

The 2023 Cantina Tramin Nussbaumer Gewurztraminer begins with an expressive aroma of honeysuckle and lots of other floral notes plus apricot, lime and some tropical fruits. It’s very aromatic and a great start.

Tasting the wine reveals it to be wonderfully round, smooth, fresh and substantial in the mouth with similar flavors to the nose. It’s full of flavor but it stays in balance and has great depth and harmony.

It ends crisp on the long and lasting finish. This is fantastic! We put it at the high end of our 9 Taste Rating at 92-93 points. Splurge away!

 
Looking for more great wine from Italy? Check out our giant list of The Best Italian Wines!

You can also find more of our favorite Saturday Splurge selections here.

Review Summary

Petite Sirah from Paso Robles, California.

Available for $12.99, exclusively at Trader Joe’s.

Today’s wine comes from Familia Nueva Vineyards just like the Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Paso Robles Petite Sirah that we reviewed a couple years ago. They are also behind the Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon and Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve San Luis Obispo Syrah that we have enjoyed. Let’s check it out.

From the bottle:

2023 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Paso Robles Petite Sirah
Lot #145
Paso Robles

Produced and Bottled by Familia Nueva Vineyards
15.3% Alcohol

The 2023 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Paso Robles Petite Sirah Lot 145 pours very dark in the glass, a good sign for Petite Sirah. It opens with strong aromas of ripe and jammy dark berry fruit plus lots of baking spice and vanilla and a little licorice. It’s a good start but you can tell right away this one has a lot of oaky notes.

Taking a sip reveals similar flavors to the nose which means this is a tasty little wine IF you like a lot of oak influence. In the mouth you’ll find vanilla, caramel, lots of baking spice, chocolate, toasty oak and more.

It ends dry and quite grippy on the long finish and was similar on day 2. As you would expect with a Grand Reserve level wine, this one is not quite as good as the Platinum Reserve version we previously reviewed, but it is also $2 less.

 
As always you can find an updated list of our recommended wines from Trader Joe’s as well as more info on their pricing model and some tips and tricks for shopping the store in our giant guide.

You can also find more of our favorite Petite Sirah here!

Review Summary

Best-seller, reader favorite and Insider Deal All-Star Peterson Winery is back! And they’ve brought with them the new vintage of this excellent wine from QPR Central, aka the Tollini Vineyard in the Redwood Valley of Mendocino.

Our previous Peterson Tollini offers on the Barbera, Zero Manipulation Red and this very wine, the Old School Zin, have been some of the most popular on the site and have even been featured in our All-Star Intro Packs.

Today Peterson returns with the latest vintage of their Old School Zin which contains 85% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah and 5% Carignane. The wine spends 20 months in barrel comprised of 20% 2-year-old Hungarian oak barrels and 80% 4-10 year-old neutral oak barrels. Just 370 cases were produced.

Unfined and unfiltered, the Peterson Tollini Old School Zin is produced using the winery’s “Zero Manipulation” philosophy:

Zero Manipulation is a combination of intention as well as practice. Each year is slightly different, and our goal is to express that variation (while still making a wine that tastes good), and not having a preconceived notion of the wine being exactly the same each year. We don’t add enzymes, tannins, acid, etc., and don’t fine or filter these wines (or treat with velcorin, or lysozyme, or gum arabic, or or or…). SO2 is used after fermentation and at bottling though with switching to screw caps and lower oxygen pickup, we can get away with less.

The less you do in the course of a wine’s tenure in the cellar, the more of the grape’s, vineyard’s, and vintage’s essence you’ll have to bottle. Every time you do something to a wine, you take out a little of what you started with.

And like all the Tollini Vineyard wines, the Peterson Tollini Old School Zin has an extremely reasonable SRP of just $24 a bottle. Of course, today’s Insider Deal gets it to you for even less…

For the next two days you can get 4 bottles of the 2020 Peterson Tollini Old School Zin for just $65.95 ($16.49/bottle).

ADD TO CART

From the winery:

2020 Peterson Tollini Old School Zin

Taking it back to when Zin was easy drinking and no thinking! Dry farmed, head trained, gnarly zinfandel vines farmed by the Tollini family that were planted in the 1970’s in the heart of Mendocino are no bull! Easy tannins and bright natural acidity carry the layers of juicy fruit and zesty spice. Whether having a dinner party, barbecuing, relaxing after work, or on a weekend getaway, there’s never a wrong time to make it old school.

Jamie Peterson’s Vintaged View: Old School is sometimes described as our “Easy Drinking, No Thinking” Zin, but don’t let that make you think it’s any less serious of a wine than our other bottlings.

After nearly ten years putting together a value priced Zin blend from various Sonoma County grapes, our friend and grower in Mendocino, Alvin Tollini, let us know he had a mature Zinfandel vineyard coming available, and would we be interested in the fruit. We took the opportunity to create a new wine in our line of Tollini Vineyard offerings that would showcase what juicy Zin grapes from the hills of Mendocino’s Redwood Valley could produce.

Old School has a style that is full of flavor and character, but not over the top. We want a wine that is refreshing and “highly drinkable” and satisfying. The type of Zin you can either open on a weeknight or take to a party without hesitation. One you can think about and savor…but you really don’t have to.

By blending in 10% Petite Sirah and 5% Carignane, we complement the fruit and jam of the Zin with structure, balance and spice, without overwhelming the singular terroir of this special place.

Tasting Notes: An aromatic beam of vine-ripened black raspberry sprinkled with fresh black pepper dances around the glass. The smooth entry soon exposes a peppery spiceladen mid-palate surrounding flavors of blackberry, raspberry, Queen Anne cherry and pomegranate. Traces of oak appear in the dark berry and spice-laced long finish. When first opened, give this wine some time to breathe and share the depth of its flavors. It can also just be quickly sipped as a delicious nothinkin’ Zin. Your choice.

Such an easy sipping Zinfandel pairs with almost anything, but it particularly shines with spicy baked ziti with Italian sausage and a side of garlic French bread, or lamb kababs with curried sweet potatoes and tzatziki.

Varietal Breakdown: 85% Zinfandel harvested Sept. 14, 10% Petite Sirah harvested Sept. 22, 5% Carignane harvested Oct. 1
Vineyard: 100% Tollini Vineyard
Appellation: Redwood Valley, Mendocino
pH: 3.35
TA: 0.72g/100ml
Barrel Aging: 20 months
Cooperage: 20% 2-year-old Hungarian oak barrels, 80% 4-10 year-old neutral oak barrels
Bottling Date: June 28, 2022 (unfined & unfiltered)
Production: 370 cases | 750ml, 50 cases | 3L bag-in-box, 10 kegs | 20L
Release Date: May 2025
15.2% Alcohol
Closure Type: Screwcap – Janson capsules – Saranex liner

And now on to our review:

The 2020 Peterson Tollini Old School Zinfandel opens powerfully with plenty of brambly and almost raisin-y fruit aromas. Black pepper, spice, licorice and vanilla round things out on the very aromatic and attractive nose.

Hello! Wow, this is a unique, savory and flavorful Zin that wakes your taste buds right up. Harmonious and balanced, it features an explosion of deep, savory flavors like black cherry, lots of cola notes, loads of licorice plus some black pepper and touches of spice and vanilla that are all wrapped up in a smooth mouthfeel. This is a great example of Zinfandel!

It ends dry, a bit grippy and quite long and lasting with lingering, delicious, tart, juicy fruit and peppery spice on the mouthwatering and lip-smacking finish. We found it to be at its best after a few hours of air and was similar on day 2.

We’ve offered several vintages of this wine in the past and this might be the best rendition yet – it’s just so savory. This is crying out to be paired with BBQ ribs!

Cheers,
Jon

Here’s what people are saying about our Insider Deals:

“I have tell you that I have been really, really pleased with this whole reverse wine snob endeavor. The info you provided gives me enough to purchase with confidence. The shipping is unbelievably convenient. The wines are right in that price-tag-sweet-spot. And everything has been just as described. Great job.”

“Hi Jon, Best thing I ever did is buy wine thru you…not been disappointed with any of them! Thank you SO MUCH!”

“Just love your site and the great deals on unique small production vino. You do an outstanding job!”

“Jon, this is a wonderful wine all around. You have become our go-to person for wonderful wines and wine values. Please keep up the excellent job that you’re doing! Regards, a very satisfied customer.”

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“Another terrific selection from Reverse Wine Snob. Keep up the good work!”

“I’ve bought a ridiculous amount of wine from your deals in the last year…I just want to say that I really appreciate what you guys have done with RWS. I discovered your site looking up Costco wine reviews and have been hooked on your insider deals ever since. I’ve been referring every friend I know.”

“I recently took advantage of your offer. So glad I did, and now sorry I did not buy more (like all those quotes on your website!)”

“I have been buying your Insider Deals for about 3 years now and we have enjoyed every one of them. They are wines that we never would have found on our own… ”

“The only thing I have ever been disappointed in with an Insider Deal is that I didn’t purchase more.”

“Received my shipment today and just cracked open my first tasting. It blew me away…I guess I have another top pick to my list. Can’t wait for my next glass…”

“You can count on great value from the wines offered.”

“the wine is, in a single word, superb! as have been all other wines offered and purchased since I first learnt about you…”

“love them all so far…Glad we ran across you. Too bad we can not order them all.”

“Also your prices are pretty amazing.”

“Hey Jon! You do great work. I’ve bought a bunch of the Insider Deals and probably 80% of the wine I drink comes from them. Great values!”

“The shipping on the Insider Deals is another great part of the deal. We recently paid $27 to a winery in California to ship 6 bottles (same packaging as the insider deals)….yikes!”

“Just got my 6 bottles and having my first glass. WHY, WHY didn’t I buy a case??!!”

“Would you happen to be offering this one again anytime soon? I regret not buying more. This was exceptional!”

“I am seriously considering having the Insider Deals as my primary go-to. Why did I not do this sooner? Thank you”

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“This an absolutely amazing wine, Jon…You’ve outdone yourself!”

“Thanks Jon. We already drank all 6 of the first order so we were ecstatic to see you offering it again. My wife and I both love it.”

“You are a man after my own heart. I have always looked for the best and least expensive wine and you just made it easier. Cheers!”

“Hi Jon, well, I did something people have warned about – bought 6 bottles and should have bought 12!”

“Have had nothing but great bottles since I started ordering your recommendations. Thanks so much!”

“We’ve gotten in on three of the deals and have been VERY happy with the value. I originally was going to do a wine club thing but the insider deal appeals to me much more.”

“I really missed the boat by only getting four bottles of this offer last month. Should have bought least at a case.”

“My wife and I have really enjoyed getting to know new wines (and better than we used to buy!)​ Thanks for what you do and providing this service!​”

“Jon – you have to stop offering all of these amazing deals. My self discipline is fading fast!!”

“ I only drink Reverse Wine Snob wine, it actually doesn’t make sense to buy from a store. You don’t get anything interesting, unique, and full of value otherwise.”

“Jon, I should have bought more! Delicious!!”

“I am a Certified Specialist of Wine. I love your deals. You pick great wines!! Kudos to you for getting us great deals!”

“Wish I would have ordered more!! It was great. Looking back, I wish I didn’t open it at our annual pool party. It’s gone. **Sob**”

“Hi Jon, just had to let you know that I love this wine!!!! Thanks for doing what you do.”

“I have purchased many times over the last several months and loved the wines!”

“Seriously amazing deal!!! I love a bold red, and Reverse Wine Snob delivered!!! Perfect for a rainy night!!”

“AMAZING!! Damn, I should have bought a CASE!!”

“WOW. Just… wow. Absolutely delicious. If I knew it was going to be this good, I would have bought a case… or two. This was dead-center in the sweet spot of what I like. Thank you!!”

“I have loved all my RWS deals, can’t wait to get this one.”

“I know that you don’t need to have ‘customers’ email you every time they like a wine that you have suggested/rated, and I have enjoyed many of your recommendations. But this Tannat was spectacular! Wow! That was amazing!”

“I finally opened a bottle of this and it did not disappoint. Delicious!!!”

“Thanks for a great service! We’ve been loving your emails and wine deals!”

“This insider deal is a great wine!!! So glad I got it!!”

“I’ve gotten quite a few of these and loved them all — keep them coming!”

“Bought a case wish I had purchased 2-3 cases. Fantastic buy for the price.”

“We purchased several times and have been massively impressed. Thank you.”

“I love your approach to wine and all the great wine finds out there. It’s tempting to order almost every time you send out a deal. Keep up the great work, truly appreciated. ”

“Wish I had doubled my order!”

“By the way, you guys have a great company – smart concept, well executed. I may never have to make another trek to the wine store again. And your customer service is pretty darn good. Thank you. ”

“I am very much enjoying the wines I have been getting from you. I have discontinued all other wine services as the quality of the wines you select seem superior to what I was receiving elsewhere.”

“That’s tremendous…I wish I had tripled my order.”

Get the 2020 Peterson Tollini Old School Zin 4-Pack while you can! This deal ends Sunday 4/12 at midnight Pacific.

If you have more questions or any trouble ordering, please check out our FAQ or just click the Help button at checkout! No account is necessary to save your info for future orders or to checkout. GPay and Apple Pay are also enabled.

Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain. The wine was aged a total of 36 months with at least 12 months in oak.

The Member’s Mark Rioja Reserva is made by Marques de Carrion, a very large producer in Rioja. Like all Rioja Reserva it is required to age a minimum of 3 years (36 months) with at least one of those years in oak barrels.

Sam’s Club doesn’t specify how much of the 3 years of aging was in oak but at this point, this 2017 vintage has definitely had a lot of time in the bottle.

The natural comparison for this wine is of course the Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva from Costco which is currently on the 2021 vintage. That wine is made by Bodegas Eguia and spends 30 of the required 36 months of aging in oak barrels. It retails for right around $8.

The Member’s Mark Rioja Reserva is available exclusively at Sam’s Club for just $8.47, so it’s right in the same ballpark as the Costco version.

In doing a little research, the other interesting thing we found about the Member’s Mark Rioja Reserva is the extremely wide range in ratings – the 2017 we are reviewing today has scores from 84 to 93 points!

Let’s check it out.

From Sam’s Club:

Member’s Mark Rioja Reserva is aged for a minimum of 3 years. Discover flavors of plum, red fruits and dried herbs that finishes with well-balanced acidity and polished tannins. Pairs with grilled red meat or hard cheeses.

13.5% Alcohol

The 2017 Member’s Mark Rioja Reserva is a bit shy on the nose when first opened but with a little time it reveals dark fruit, leather, spice, touches of tobacco and cocoa and a hint of balsamic. It’s a nice start.

Tasting the wine reveals similar flavors to the nose with good juicy acidity and well integrated spice. Just give it some time to breathe to be at its best.

It ends dry, long, juicy and a bit grippy and savory and was similar on day 2. This one definitely has some good components but I can understand the discrepancy in scores as it just doesn’t seem to totally gel.

And while it is certainly older than the current Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva, it is also not quite as good (although still good enough to be recommended).

 
Looking for more of the best wine selections at Sam’s Club? Browse our growing guide along with more info about the store!

You can also find all of our favorite wines from Rioja plus much more info on the region here!

Review Summary

Excellent Pinot Noir can be expensive. In the case of today’s wine, it’s normally $75 a bottle expensive!

And while that is a lot, this one also has the pedigree to back it up. The wine spends 14 months in a mix of new and neutral (and pricey) French oak. Just 283 cases were produced and it’s drinking window extends to 2035. It’s made by Chris Dearden of Dearden Wines and comes from their acclaimed estate vineyard on the Napa Valley side of Carneros:

The Story: Chris Dearden has been crafting fine wines in Napa Valley for over 25 years. Wine has been a part of his family life since childhood, where it was served regularly at dinner as a celebration of everyday meals. The third generation Californian was born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley town of Porterville and always had an aptitude and love for agriculture and life sciences.

The Dearden Vineyard is located on a 12-acre parcel on Las Amigas Road in the heart of the Napa-Carneros region of Napa Valley where our winery is located. It is the coolest climate area in the Napa Valley and is the birthplace of some of the finest Chardonnays and Pinot noirs produced anywhere in the world. This vineyard was planted in 2006 and is now channeling the full flavor and aroma profile that will continue for decades. The clonal selections of Pinot noir are integral to producing a wine of depth, texture and character. The five clones we planted (115, Pommard, 667, 459 and Calera) were selected for their ability to craft a single vineyard wine from several distinct clones. Yields on this high quality vineyard average a meager 2 tons per acre.

This Pinot Noir also as a long line of high scores in the low to mid-90s, vintage after vintage. This recently released bottle has a 92-point rating from James Suckling and gets 92-93 points from us.

And since this is an Insider Deal, you know you won’t pay anywhere near the $75 a bottle price…

For the next day you can get 2 bottles of the 2023 Sleeping Giant Dearden Vineyard Napa Valley Carneros Pinot Noir for just $XX.95 ($XX.XX/bottle). That’s a discount of XX% saving you $XX a bottle!

From the winery:

2023 Sleeping Giant Dearden Vineyard Napa Valley Carneros Pinot Noir

OVERALL: Bright & Ripe
AROMAS / FLAVORS: High-toned red fruits, cedar, mocha, cinnamon
MOUTHFEEL: Rounded & Soft The Selling Points
PAIRINGS: Enjoy with seared ahi tuna, beef carpaccio, duck

Our 2023 vintage Sleeping Giant Pinot Noir opens on the nose with tea leaves, dried rose and raspberry, but slowly evolves into an essence of peony, lilac and cardamom. Initially on the palate, we find inviting flavors of muddled strawberry, forest floor and graham cracker, opening up to reveal secondary notes of river stone and sage.

2023 was a long and cool vintage, we waited until late September & early October to pick the 5 clones of Pinot noir. This long hang time allowed for rich development of flavor while the moderate temperature allowed for the fruit to retain a freshness and balanced acidity that shines through. This Pinot noir is ready to be opened now, or cellared for 5-10 years, and will only improve. Every year each of the clones are harvested, fermented and barrel aged separately to allow the clonal expression to stay at the forefront. After 14 months in a mix of new and neutral French Oak, every barrel is tasted and an assemblage of the best barrels is formed by winemaker Chris. The 2023 vintage of the Sleeping Giant Estate Pinot Noir contains a high percentage of our Pommard clone, on the west side of the driveway.

Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
REGION: Napa
APPELLATION: Carneros – Napa
Vineyard: Dearden Vineyard
Drinking Window: 2025-2035
Production: 283 cases of 750ml

14.5% Alcohol
Cork

And now on to our review:

The 2023 Sleeping Giant Dearden Vineyard Napa Valley Carneros Pinot Noir opens with a very pleasing aroma of cranberry, black cherry, a little tomato plant and lots of herbal notes plus some floral notes and baking spice. Even more comes out as you swirl and sniff including touches of blackberry and black tea. It’s a great start.

The wine tastes smooth and bright and features all the same flavors as the nose plus zesty acidity. Elegant and delicious, this is a really lovely example of Pinot Noir. It keeps on getting better as it breathes too, revealing more depth and layers to discover. Take your time, this is a fun one!

It ends dry, soft, a bit juicy and very long and was similar on day 2. We put this at the high end of our 9 Taste Rating at 92-93 points.

Cheers,
Jon

Here’s what people are saying about our Insider Deals:

“I have tell you that I have been really, really pleased with this whole reverse wine snob endeavor. The info you provided gives me enough to purchase with confidence. The shipping is unbelievably convenient. The wines are right in that price-tag-sweet-spot. And everything has been just as described. Great job.”

“Hi Jon, Best thing I ever did is buy wine thru you…not been disappointed with any of them! Thank you SO MUCH!”

“Just love your site and the great deals on unique small production vino. You do an outstanding job!”

“Jon, this is a wonderful wine all around. You have become our go-to person for wonderful wines and wine values. Please keep up the excellent job that you’re doing! Regards, a very satisfied customer.”

“Wow!! Just got my shipment. It is absolutely tremendous.”

“Another terrific selection from Reverse Wine Snob. Keep up the good work!”

“I’ve bought a ridiculous amount of wine from your deals in the last year…I just want to say that I really appreciate what you guys have done with RWS. I discovered your site looking up Costco wine reviews and have been hooked on your insider deals ever since. I’ve been referring every friend I know.”

“I recently took advantage of your offer. So glad I did, and now sorry I did not buy more (like all those quotes on your website!)”

“I have been buying your Insider Deals for about 3 years now and we have enjoyed every one of them. They are wines that we never would have found on our own… ”

“The only thing I have ever been disappointed in with an Insider Deal is that I didn’t purchase more.”

“Received my shipment today and just cracked open my first tasting. It blew me away…I guess I have another top pick to my list. Can’t wait for my next glass…”

“You can count on great value from the wines offered.”

“the wine is, in a single word, superb! as have been all other wines offered and purchased since I first learnt about you…”

“love them all so far…Glad we ran across you. Too bad we can not order them all.”

“Also your prices are pretty amazing.”

“Hey Jon! You do great work. I’ve bought a bunch of the Insider Deals and probably 80% of the wine I drink comes from them. Great values!”

“The shipping on the Insider Deals is another great part of the deal. We recently paid $27 to a winery in California to ship 6 bottles (same packaging as the insider deals)….yikes!”

“Just got my 6 bottles and having my first glass. WHY, WHY didn’t I buy a case??!!”

“Would you happen to be offering this one again anytime soon? I regret not buying more. This was exceptional!”

“I am seriously considering having the Insider Deals as my primary go-to. Why did I not do this sooner? Thank you”

“I love this wine I bought from you!!!! Thanks for doing what do do!!!”

“This an absolutely amazing wine, Jon…You’ve outdone yourself!”

“Thanks Jon. We already drank all 6 of the first order so we were ecstatic to see you offering it again. My wife and I both love it.”

“You are a man after my own heart. I have always looked for the best and least expensive wine and you just made it easier. Cheers!”

“Hi Jon, well, I did something people have warned about – bought 6 bottles and should have bought 12!”

“Have had nothing but great bottles since I started ordering your recommendations. Thanks so much!”

“We’ve gotten in on three of the deals and have been VERY happy with the value. I originally was going to do a wine club thing but the insider deal appeals to me much more.”

“I really missed the boat by only getting four bottles of this offer last month. Should have bought least at a case.”

“My wife and I have really enjoyed getting to know new wines (and better than we used to buy!)​ Thanks for what you do and providing this service!​”

“Jon – you have to stop offering all of these amazing deals. My self discipline is fading fast!!”

“ I only drink Reverse Wine Snob wine, it actually doesn’t make sense to buy from a store. You don’t get anything interesting, unique, and full of value otherwise.”

“Jon, I should have bought more! Delicious!!”

“I am a Certified Specialist of Wine. I love your deals. You pick great wines!! Kudos to you for getting us great deals!”

“Wish I would have ordered more!! It was great. Looking back, I wish I didn’t open it at our annual pool party. It’s gone. **Sob**”

“Hi Jon, just had to let you know that I love this wine!!!! Thanks for doing what you do.”

“I have purchased many times over the last several months and loved the wines!”

“Seriously amazing deal!!! I love a bold red, and Reverse Wine Snob delivered!!! Perfect for a rainy night!!”

“AMAZING!! Damn, I should have bought a CASE!!”

“WOW. Just… wow. Absolutely delicious. If I knew it was going to be this good, I would have bought a case… or two. This was dead-center in the sweet spot of what I like. Thank you!!”

“I have loved all my RWS deals, can’t wait to get this one.”

“I know that you don’t need to have ‘customers’ email you every time they like a wine that you have suggested/rated, and I have enjoyed many of your recommendations. But this Tannat was spectacular! Wow! That was amazing!”

“I finally opened a bottle of this and it did not disappoint. Delicious!!!”

“Thanks for a great service! We’ve been loving your emails and wine deals!”

“This insider deal is a great wine!!! So glad I got it!!”

“I’ve gotten quite a few of these and loved them all — keep them coming!”

“Bought a case wish I had purchased 2-3 cases. Fantastic buy for the price.”

“We purchased several times and have been massively impressed. Thank you.”

“I love your approach to wine and all the great wine finds out there. It’s tempting to order almost every time you send out a deal. Keep up the great work, truly appreciated. ”

“Wish I had doubled my order!”

“By the way, you guys have a great company – smart concept, well executed. I may never have to make another trek to the wine store again. And your customer service is pretty darn good. Thank you. ”

“I am very much enjoying the wines I have been getting from you. I have discontinued all other wine services as the quality of the wines you select seem superior to what I was receiving elsewhere.”

“That’s tremendous…I wish I had tripled my order.”

Get the 2023 Sleeping Giant Dearden Vineyard Napa Valley Carneros Pinot Noir 2-Pack while you can! This deal ends Friday 4/10 at noon Pacific.

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