Costco’s Kirkland Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: Worth It?

If you’ve ever cruised Costco’s wine aisle and wondered whether that Kirkland Signature Gran Selezione is a legit Tuscan score or just a fancy label flex, here’s the skinny: this one has real pedigree, real aging, and—according to Reverse Wine Snob—real structure. It’s estate Sangiovese from the Chianti Classico zone, aged properly, and still somehow clocks in at a weeknight-friendly $19.99. That’s not a typo; it’s a value wave worth paddling into.

Style Snapshot: What’s in the Bottle

• Grape: Primarily Sangiovese (estate-grown; at least 80%)
• Region/Appellation: Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany (Gran Selezione designation)
• Aging: 30 months in large Slavonian oak, plus at least 3 months in bottle
• ABV: 14%
• Overall style: Dry, medium-bodied, high-acid red with firm, grippy tannins

Reverse Wine Snob describes a classic Chianti Classico profile with savory lift and structure. Their take: “It’s dry, long and grippy,” —Reverse Wine Snob. They also call out black cherry, spice, and a thread of earth—very much in the Sangiovese wheelhouse for Classico.

Gran Selezione: Why This Matters

Chianti Classico has tiers: Annata (the base), Riserva (longer aging), and Gran Selezione (top tier). Gran Selezione must be estate-grown and aged at least 30 months. In plain English, that usually means tighter selection, longer rest, and a more serious build. Traditionally, you expect higher acidity, savory edges (think leather, tobacco, dried herbs), and tannins that benefit from air and food. It’s the style you bring to a table with protein and a little patience.

Here’s the kicker: most Gran Selezione bottlings sit north of $25-$35, often well beyond. This Kirkland release lands at $19.99, with Reverse Wine Snob calling it “another example of a high end bottle priced much lower.” —Reverse Wine Snob. If you’re shopping with intent, that price-to-pedigree ratio is the headline.

What the Source Tastes

We didn’t taste this bottle for this write-up, so we’ll keep our analysis anchored to the source’s notes. Reverse Wine Snob highlights black cherry, spice, and touches of leather, wintergreen, and mint on the nose. They found the palate balanced and open, with juicy fruit, building spice through the mid-palate, and an earthy underpinning that carries into the finish. They emphasize that finish again—dry, long, and gripping—suggesting structure fit for the dinner table and enough stuffing to hold up on day two.

They also note continuity across recent vintages: consistent aromatic signatures and that same long, grippy close. Their score lands in the low 90s range for taste, with the 2021 tagged a “RECOMMENDED BUY.” For bargain hunters, that’s the green light.

Context: How It Fits the Chianti Classico Landscape

Sangiovese in Chianti Classico is all about acidity and savory-sour cherry energy. When it’s good, you get purity of fruit, that signature tang, and a rustic-sleek tug-of-war between tannin and freshness. The use of large Slavonian oak (not small, heavily toasted barrels) keeps the wood influence subtle, preserving fruit and terroir while smoothing edges over a long elevage. The 30-month requirement for Gran Selezione is not just a trophy rule; it’s time that knits the wine together.

This Kirkland release checks those boxes—estate-grown (Basilica Cafaggio), extended aging, and the structural cues you’d expect. The value proposition is the real story—finding a Gran Selezione at $19.99 is like catching an empty set at Malibu at golden hour: rare, and you don’t question it, you just go.

Buy If You Like

• Dry, structured Sangiovese that leans savory over sweet.
• Chianti Classico that’s more dinner-friendly than cocktail-hour plush.
• Value play with legit DOCG and estate credentials.

Best occasion: Sunday pasta night, low-key date night, or a bring-to-a-friend’s dinner where you want to look smart without flexing a credit card.

Best pairing direction: Red-sauce pasta, grilled pork or lamb, mushroom risotto, aged pecorino; think protein and umami that meet tannin and acid halfway.

Bottom line: If you love Sangiovese’s tang and texture, this Kirkland Gran Selezione is a savvy cart-add. It’s not trying to be plush Napa Cab—thankfully. It’s Tuscan, it’s structured, and it’s priced to buy by the pair. Give it a decant and let dinner do the rest.

Note: Price, aging details, and tasting impressions referenced from Reverse Wine Snob’s review of the 2021 vintage.

Source: https://www.reversewinesnob.com/kirkland-signature-chianti-classico-gran-selezione/