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Costco Wines


RaisaB

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Has anyone tried some of the Costco wines? I went there today and noticed they have at least 10 different types by now. They even have have a Chateauneuf-du-Pape which is classifed as such. Obviously they are being produced by the regions, but who are the producers? Anyone know anything?

BTW, I tried their Shiraz, but I didn't care for it, it was similar to all the other wimpy shiraz's that are out their right now.

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Has anyone tried some of the Costco wines? I went there today and noticed they have at least 10 different types by now. They even have have a Chateauneuf-du-Pape which is classifed as such. Obviously they are being produced by the regions, but who are the producers? Anyone know anything?

BTW, I tried their Shiraz, but I didn't care for it, it was similar to all the other wimpy shiraz's that are out their right now.

Wimpy Shiraz, Raisa? Serious? Two months ago Costco in Fairfax had 2003 Elderton Shiraz for about $23. A very good wine for the price, I think Parker gave it 92 or 93 points. I realize that this is a exception (like Clos Apalta, Don Melchor, Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexander Cab-I like all of these in their price ranges) but Costco from time to time has some really interesting wines at good prices. The other shiraz that Costco usually carries tend to be disappointing-I agree with you on this.

Costco labelled wines? For me this is sort of like smoking generic cigarettes. I really can't believe that anyone would buy this stuff. Obviously, I'm wrong or Costco's wine case wouldn't be growing with more every week or two.

By the way, Pentagon City is their highest volume store with Fairfax second. It's been my experience that these are the two stores which will receive the limited supply wines.

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JoeH, I didn't mean ALL the shiraz's were wimpy. My favorite house wine of the moment is Peter Lehmann Barossa whisch retails for 13.69 at Costco. I also love Shotfire Ridge, if I find it anywhere on sale I will by a case or two.

You are right about those stores receiving the limited supply wines but I think Sterling surpassed evem PC's sales.

I am tempted to try the Chateauneuf under their label. It is 19.99 and like Jacques says, I can use it for a stew if it stinks.

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Take a serious look at my posts about 1/the Wine Library and 2/ three Spanish wines at three price points. As much as I like Costco for the past several months I've been spending far too disproportionate a percentage of my income with the New Jersey store. The Sierra Cantabria Cuvee Especial (NOT the Crianza which is being advertised by Paul's) is a phenominal wine for $16.99. Altos de Luzon is just as phenominal for $12.99. (Zora, what did you think of it?) And the Clio, for $31.99, drinks like something for $100! All of these are available locally. There may also be some local stores who will match the Jersey store. Between Spain, Chile, Australia, Argentina and South Africa I have to start buying American wine again!!!

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I tried ordering from the library but they don't have Virginia set up on their internet site because they have to charge tax. They should spend the time and money to update it as I don't want to deal with a live person. I know,I am strange.

Their prices are pretty nice though.

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Raisa, for your first several orders they will call you on the telephone to confirm the order within 24 hours. After you have placed several orders from them they will take it directly off of the internet. I have ordered from them at least a dozen or more times now and EVERY time I have received the wine in perfect condition within 48 hours of placing the order. This assumes, however, that I place the order on Monday through Wednesday. I also live in VA (Reston) and they just include sales tax as part of the order along with the shipping. I have also found that it is NOT necessary to order a case. They will ship as few as six bottles. Perhaps even three but I haven't asked for less than this-yet.

Edited by Joe H
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I'm heading to Costco Fairfax tomorrow and I'll grab a few bottles of their private label. I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the Kirkland products in the past (the olive oil's not bad, if you like a grassy, herbal style) so we'll see about the CnP, Shiraz, and others.

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I'm heading to Costco Fairfax tomorrow and I'll grab a few bottles of their private label. I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the Kirkland products in the past (the olive oil's not bad, if you like a grassy, herbal style) so we'll see about the CnP, Shiraz, and others.

It would be interesting to know who is making the wine for them. One assumes that this is the normal private label pactice of having your label put on wine made by someone else. (I seem to remember when I was a kid that the GI brand of coffee purchased in the base commissary was Maxwell House under the GI label.)

It may turn out that there are several wineries involved, or Costco may just be buying up bulk or overproductions and having it bottled a la Charles Shaw.

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Raisa, for your first several orders they will call you on the telephone to confirm the order within 24 hours.  After you have placed several orders from them they will take it directly off of the internet.  I have ordered from them at least a dozen or more times now and EVERY time I have received the wine in perfect condition within 48 hours of placing the order.  This assumes, however, that I place the order on Monday through Wednesday.  I also live in VA (Reston) and they just include sales tax as part of the order along with the shipping.  I have also found that it is NOT necessary to order a case.  They will ship as few as six bottles.  Perhaps even three but I haven't asked for less than this-yet.

Why does this New Jersey store charge sales tax on remote sales to VA residents?

---> *

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Why does this New Jersey store charge sales tax on remote sales to VA residents? 

---> *

You know what? I never even questioned it. Did Virginia add some clause to the interstate shipment of wine law passed last year?

Edited to add. I just spoke with that store and when this went before the Supreme Court, the court gave states the right to charge state tax on this? New Hampshire is also charging the tax.

Edited by RaisaB
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You know what? I never even questioned it. Did Virginia add some clause to the interstate shipment of wine law passed last year?

Edited to add. I just spoke with that store and when this went before the Supreme Court, the court gave states the right to charge state tax on this? New Hampshire is also charging the tax.

Virginia charges sales tax on interstate shipments of everything. :) This started about 8-10 years ago. We fine, upstanding citizens of Virginia are supposed to fill out a special form listing each item we had shipped to us from another state upon which sales tax was not assessed. If we pay sales tax for the shipping state, Virginia doesn't assess its own tax; it merely wants to make sure that we pay tax upon the goods to one state or another. If I remember right, the original excuse used to foist this burden upon us was the prevalence of purchases of furniture from North Carolina.

In this day and age of internet shopping, I cannot begin to state the level of annoyance this requirement causes me each year. Fortunately, most internet retailers do charge Virginia sales tax for shipments into the Commonweath now.

Edited by PollyG
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For a D.C. perspective, we have to collect sales tax on any wine shipped because it is a point-of-purchase issue.

Alcohol is one of the most heavily regulated consumer items, and anyone who thinks that they can avoid sales tax by having it shipped out of the area where purchased is in for a shock.

If a retailer wants to not collect the sales tax, fine, but it will catch up with them if they get audited. Alcohol sales tax in the District is a SALES and USE tax. We're responsible for it no matter what.

Oh, and the Costco-labeled wines just sound depressing but, hey, there have always been negociant bottlings from various sources which have been dreary so these things couldn't be any worse. Might even be drinkable. Good luck to whomever tries them.

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If a retailer wants to not collect the sales tax, fine, but it will catch up with them if they get audited.   Alcohol sales tax in the District is a SALES and USE tax.  We're responsible for it no matter what.

Use tax is a tax owed by the purchaser when no sales tax was paid at the time of the purchase. Use tax alse usually is owed when the sales tax paid on an item in another jurisdication is lower than the sales tax in the jurisdiction where the item is consumed, in which case the use tax will be equal to the difference. Retailers are never liable for use tax on stuff they ship out of state.

Edited by Jacques Gastreaux
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Use tax is a tax owed by the purchaser when no sales tax was paid at the time of the purchase. Use tax alse usually is owed when the sales tax paid on an item in another jurisdication is lower than the sales tax in the jurisdiction where the item is consumed, in which case the use tax will be equal to the difference. Retailers are never liable for use tax on stuff they ship out of state.

My boss attends all the retail liquor store owner meetings here in the city, and there is no question that we are responsible for collecting sales tax on all alcohol that we sell, no matter where it is going. It is a point-of-sale issue. Believe me, with all of the non-taxable items that we sell (and have to declare to the District) we've been audited by the city several times over the years. We have to collect it for them.

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