Who Makes Kirkland Pinot Grigio (The Truth!)

One of Costco’s claims to fame is its Kirkland Signature product line. With products ranging from food to beverages and more, Kirkland products represent a value option compared to big-name brands.

However, it’s not always evident where these products come from or who makes them, given their vague Kirkland label. Customers want to know where these items get produced.

After all, there must be some origin that is specific enough to result in a discounted price. This is especially true when it comes to Kirkland wines, especially Pinot Grigio, with bottles less than $10 each.

So, who exactly makes Kirkland Pinot Grigio? It might surprise you to find that Kirkland’s Italian wines have ties to a company called Ethica Wines. Since Pinot Grigio is one of these Italian wines, we find that its source is Ethica Wines as well.

Below, we’ll explore the source of Costco’s Kirkland Signature wine production and more specifically, Kirkland Pinot Grigio wines.

Table of Contents

Costco’s Kirkland Signature Line

Costco’s Kirkland products often draw curiosity among loyal customers as to where production starts and ends.

Most are aware that many name-brand companies partner with Costco and supply the products used under the Kirkland Signature label.

This is certainly true of Kirkland bottled water, tequila, K-Cups, and other products.

For example, most believe that Kirkland Signature tequila comes from Mexico’s La Madrileña tequila company.

And Kirkland Signature K-Cups are from a partnership with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., sourced from various countries across the world.

So, when it comes to Kirkland Signature wines, what companies/wineries are behind the production?

The Companies Behind Kirkland Wines

According to an article by Apple News, there are several big wine producers who partner with Costco to bring Kirkland Signature wines to the supermarket chain.

Namely, the names E&J Gallo Winery, Ethica Wines, and even Kobrand.

E&J Gallo Winery

E&J Gallo Winery is a Modesto, California winery that dates back to the year 1933. Most believe this to be the main source of Costco’s Kirkland wines from California vineyards.

It might surprise Costco customers to find out that this is actually a family-run company in partnership with Costco.

It’s not too much of a stretch to see the resemblance between E&J Gallo and Kirkland California wines, either.

Their labels have strikingly similar colors, fonts, and designs, which is a pretty good giveaway that E&J is the company behind the Kirkland pass-off.

Kobrand

Another popular type of wine – mainly for desserts and cooking purposes – gets sold under the Kirkland label but comes from Kobrand (Joto Sake producer).

But there are more important types of wines in question. We really want to know where the Kirkland white wines – Pinot Grigio to be specific – come from.

Ethica Wines

This is where Ethica Wines comes into the mix. Ethica Wines is the other main wine producer that Costco gets its Kirkland wine from. When you think of Italian Kirkland wines, think of Ethica Wines.

Ethica Wines has headquarters in the state of Florida; however, they import their wines from Italy.

Given that Pinot Grigio is a notable Italian wine, we come to the conclusion that Costco likely gets its Pinot Grigio wines from Ethica Wines.

So, here’s what you need to know about Ethica Wines. According to the Ethica Wines website, the company serves both North American and Asia-Pacific markets.

It’s an importer of various wines to the United States, and further, it holds an official National Wine Importer status.

Pros of Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio

There are various benefits to buying Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio.

Source Company

One perk of this product is its supposed source – Ethica Wines. This company not only prides itself on honesty; it also has a mission of fair trade and morality.

Costco customers can count on the wine company’s commitment to a positive work environment for its employees.

So, you’re buying a product that is both sustainable and ethical, as its source company’s name suggests.

Lower Price

Another big benefit of choosing Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio wine is that it has a lower price compared to name-brand wine.

You do compromise a bit of quality in a value brand. However, you are getting a great deal, with many Kirkland wine bottles costing less than $10.

Kirkland’s Pinot Grigio, specifically, costs only about $6, on average.

Another pro of this value price is that you’re really getting more bang for your buck on a non-domestic wine. Pinot Grigio is one Italian wine imported by Ethica Wines and distributed under Costco’s Kirkland label.

This means you are getting a decent quality Italian wine here in the States for a low price.

Cons of Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio

The pros of this value brand white wine seem to outweigh any considerable cons. However, you should consider the following when buying Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio (and other Kirkland wines).

You compromise quality when you pay the value price of Kirkland Signature. This isn’t going to be top-notch Italian wine, although it is going to be authentic and imported.
You run the risk of not knowing exactly where Kirkland Pinot Grigio comes from. Although we know that Ethica Wine has ties to Costco in a production partnership, there’s no specific statement by Costco or Ethica Wine that designates the connection.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, Costco’s Kirkland Signature products present value that you can’t really beat. This is even true when it comes to alcoholic beverages, such as the line of Kirkland wines.

Many customers want to know where Kirkland wine comes from, though, and we can look to several wine companies, both domestically and abroad, to find the source.

It’s believed that Kirkland Pinot Grigio, in particular, comes from a company called Ethica Wines, which imports Italian wine to the United States.

References

https://costcowineblog.com/2019-kirkland-signature-pinot-grigio-friuli/

https://www.reversewinesnob.com/kirkland-signature-pinot-grigio