The Cult-Favorite California Wine Spotted At Costco On Clearance

From $40k cases of Romanée-Conti to José Andrés' favorite Bordeaux-style reds, Costco is a hot spot for coveted luxury wines and cult favorites alike. On June 16, someone in Arvada, Colorado spotted bottles of cabernet sauvignon from Beaulieu Vineyard — widely renowned as Napa Valley's first cult winery — for just $15 a bottle. Part of its 2020 Maestro Collection, the grapes for this wine were sourced from Alexander Valley, a wine growing region just north of the Napa Valley in Sonoma County that is recognized for its unique terroir and, more specifically, its specialization in cabernet sauvignon grapes.

Established in 1900, Beaulieu Vineyard is one of the most historic wineries in Napa Valley, setting the standard for and producing some of the most collected cabernets found on store shelves. Marked down from its regular $29.99 price, the bottles recently spotted at Costco are no exception to that, either. "I can't remember the last time I saw a wine from BV under $15," wrote one Redditor on a Costco subReddit. "That's a nice wine. I would buy it all," wrote another. At that price, and from that valley in particular, another Redditor made another fabulous point: not only can you pour it, but it also makes a great sangria. With that, you may as well grab two.

While some of the more opinionated wine snobs out there might look at this cabernet's label and write if off as subpar to those of its southern neighbors' in Napa, the truth is that both the Napa Valley and Alexander Valley wine regions produce their own unique and impressive expressions of the varietal. Rather than being pinned against one another — as the two so often are — you're better off learning to understand and appreciate their subtle nuances, with the 2020 Maestro Collection cabernet sauvignon from the cult-favorite Beaulieu Vineyard providing the perfect example.

Not only do Alexander Valley wines not carry the same price tag as cabernets from Napa Valley, they also carry their own characteristics too, ones that make them much more approachable. Cabernets from this region are known for being vibrant and fruity. Overall, they are described as being more elegantly balanced — and far less attention seeking — as the famously bold and robust cabernets of Napa. Not only does this mean they have their own unique range of food pairings, but they also have their own unique uses.

Fruity and bright, with a subdued and balanced flavor, Beaulieu Vineyard's Maestro Collection cabernet sauvignon is an ideal option for your red wine sangrias this summer. But, if you don't end up snagging a bottle for $15 from Costco, you can also feel confident pouring it by the glass too.