The Luxury Brand Behind Costco's Kirkland Champagne

Costco may be loved for its bargain bulk pricing, but fans know some of the best deals come from its in-house Kirkland brand, especially when it comes to alcohol. The warehouse chain doesn't just deliver excellent value, but also surprisingly good quality on vodka, scotch, and wine, which Costco pulls off by partnering with alcohol top companies and making deals to produce similar products under the Kirkland name.

There may be no better example of this than Costco's Kirkland Champagne. This is no "sparkling wine," attempting to imitate Champagne, but the real deal, produced in the Champagne region of France according to all the required standards. And yet somehow it manages to be priced at a mind-blowing $20, which is less than half of what even the cheapest real Champagnes normally cost. Don't be mistaken into thinking Costco pulled this off by sourcing from a shady vineyard for some budget bubbly, as the Champagne is made by luxury producer Manuel Janisson of Verzenay.

Janisson comes from a long line of Champagne producers going back five generations, and he founded the brand Janisson & Fils, which has produced a wide-range of Champagnes since 1996. Janisson's personally branded line of Champagne has been recently phased out, as it was purchased by luxury spirit brand LVHM, which owns brands like Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon. However Janisson still produces Champagne for other labels, including Kirkland Signature.

Manuel Janisson produces his Champagne from a blend of grapes that grow in different altitudes around his vineyard in the Montagne de Reims region. The area is the northernmost of the Champagne growing regions, and has varied terrain that includes mountains, hills, plains, and forests, which produce microclimates that allow all the three popular Champagne grapes of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier to be grown. Blending the grapes and climates allows the producers in the region to create Champagne with great complexity and Janisson's blend for Kirkland includes all three grapes.

Champagnes are known for their crispness, and Kirkland Signature's flavors fall squarely in that category. The label describes the tasting notes as lemon, green apple, apricot, and citrus, and reviewers have noted similar flavors and aromas, with a nice acidic brightness. While Champagne fans will note that it's not at the level of a true luxury Champagne, they can't deny that it's still quite good, and an amazing value for the price, which is exactly what people are looking for from Costco and Kirkland Signature. That makes it an excellent choice for larger parties where you might need multiple bottles but still want to impress your guests. Even compared to other impressive deals like Costco's prosecco, Kirkland Champagne delivers. And that's what you get when you do the work to partner with producers like Manuel Janisson.