Costco's Kirkland Brand Bottled Mimosa: How Does It Compare To Fresh Ones?

When you have a party or get-together to plan, Costco's low-priced deals and bulk buys beckon. Whether you need a multi-tier cake for your wedding, sandwich trays for a holiday work event, or even paper plates and napkins for your backyard birthday blowout, the warehouse has you covered. And, now, it even has Sunday brunch handled as well.

Costco released a first-of-its-kind Kirkland Signature Mimosa in 2023. This refreshing addition further diversifies the membership club's collection of alcoholic beverages, and let us be the first to say it has some big shoes to fill. Particularly, Costco's wine and liquor selections are known for being second to none, with standout picks like the popular Kirkland Signature Vodka and one of the best value signature wines, the 2022 Kirkland Signature Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC. Heck, even Kirkland's box wine makes for an enjoyable house vino, proving that the brand's insignia is not only a promise of affordability but also quality.

Let's see if this boozy newcomer lives up to its name, destined to be the star of your next A.M. gathering, or if you're better off brunching the old-fashioned way with a bottle of bubbly in one hand and a carton of OJ in the other.

Costco and the mind behind the mimosa, Maestro Cantinero Julio Cabrera — one of the most influential bartenders in the world — invite you to savor the tastes of Italy with this Kirkland exclusive. The bubbly blend is made with real Sicilian blonde oranges fused with a sparkling northern Italian wine derived from Glera grapes — a varietal used in the making of prosecco. This harmony of fresh and juicy flavors comes together in a standard-size 750 ml glass wine bottle adorned with gorgeous pastel imagery to highlight the beverage's contents and origins.

As a pre-mixed libation, the mimosa falls into the ready-to-drink cocktail category as much as it does the category of wine specialties. It comes with a lower overall alcohol by volume of 6%, however. That's about half of what a typical prosecco or other type of sparkling wine weighs in at — a fact that makes sense, considering the mimosa is meant to be equal parts wine and OJ. Surprisingly, it also doesn't tip the scale in terms of sugar count with just 2 added grams atop the 22 grams of natural sugars from the fruit.

Julio Cabrera was the first to announce the launch of the Kirkland Signature Mimosa at a Costco in Miami, Florida, in October of 2023. It wasn't long after that Costco members began chirping online about the shiny new product, and there was a resurgence of interest in the spring of 2024 as the brunch essential found its way back to shelves — it's rumored to be more of a seasonal item that will continue to cyclically pop up in the brighter and warmer months of spring and summer.

By now, all U.S. Costco stores have been introduced to the boozy beverage, with just a few exceptions. Locations in Maryland and Pennsylvania will not catch sight of the orange bottles since no alcohol is allowed to be sold at Costco within these states. The same goes for Kansas and Utah where only beer under 6% ABV may be sold.

As for price, the Kirkland Signature mimosa is typically available for $8.99, but this price could vary by location. At three servings per bottle, that comes out to about $3 per glass. Meanwhile, Kirkland's standard prosecco sits at about $7. So, if you're able to find an affordable OJ for about $2 or less to make your own DIY mimosa, you'll just about break even on the financial side of things.

As is the case with any mimosa, whether you concoct it at home or order it at a restaurant, the first thing you're likely to notice about this bottle is the coloring. It has almost a SunnyD, tangerine-like hue that could be unappealing to those Champagne-or-sparkling-wine-and-a-light-mist-of-orange-juice type of brunch-goers. It also comes with a screw cap rather than a cork, which makes sense given its dual contents, but eliminates the cherished novelty of popping open a bottle of bubbly.

The aroma is intensely orange, yet at first taste, there's less of a pop and more of a light fizzle of flavor. Juice is certainly at the forefront, skewing the ratio to about 65:35 rather than 50:50. The concentrate doesn't have an artificial tang to it as I feared it might, but it does offer a few surprise hints of peach or even mango. The fruitiness and acidity of the prosecco are mostly masked — the beverage is also flatter than foaming or fizzy — though there is a detectable sparkling wine mouthfeel present.

I'm not sure it will "bring romance to any occasion" as the label promises, and I wouldn't file it under the category of refreshing liquid gold. But, it's smooth enough with an enjoyable citrus zip. It met, perhaps even exceeded, my expectations of a pre-packaged mimosa.

To whip up my opposing homemade mimosa, it only made sense to use a bottle of Kirkland's own prosecco. This dry sparkling wine is also a product of Italy, is made with at least 85% Glera grapes, and comes with an ABV of 11%. For its juicy accomplice, I selected a standard jug of light Tropicana (with no pulp, of course) to maintain the smooth integrity of the mimosa — because no one wants to munch through their morning-time cocktail.

As I conducted this science experiment of sorts, I attempted to color-match the fresh mimosa to Kirkland's to achieve the closest balance of wine to OJ, and I believe I hit the nail on the head. But, diving in, the largest difference I noticed was a much bolder taste of prosecco. In my prepared blend, the effervescence was more pronounced, and I could taste the dry yet honeyed sweetness of the wine even through the attention-seeking orange juice. Speaking of which, analyzing the juice between the two mimosas is like comparing apples to Italian blonde oranges. I fear that Tropicana is far inferior to the extract created by Kirkland and Maestro Julio Cabrera, with tastes a little too harsh and even a little bitter comparatively. I would certainly invest in a more decadent or freshly squeezed OJ next time around.

It is difficult to master the art of a pre-mixed or ready-to-drink cocktail. Something always seems to taste just a little bit off, even though the resemblance is there. The Kirkland Signature Mimosa, however, begins to break this mold. While not perfect, it's pleasing with all the makings of a lovely light beverage and a surprisingly crisp demeanor. It's a drink I wouldn't turn down at a boozy brunch, and I could even see myself going back for seconds depending on the size of the Champagne flute or wine glass.

One grievance I do have relates to the loss of control over portions, as many people are quite particular about this — though you could always add more prosecco or juice to your liking. Another less solvable issue, however, is that the numbers don't entirely shake out. Sure, you can purchase a sparkling wine bottle and OJ for around the same cost as this $9 bottle. But, you would be buying essentially double the volume as Kirkland combines the two into one 750 mL bottle.

So, the answer to the question, "Is it worth it?" would be absolutely yes on the taste front, and I believe this carefully curated recipe deserves admiration. But, when all is said and done, the juice may not always be worth the squeeze, and the Kirkland Signature product is likely not the best mimosa option for a crowd.