Are Costco Wine Kits Any Good? (5 Hacks to Know)

I’ve always been a fan of Costco because it’s a one-stop-shop. It is where I buy everything I need for my home and business. But I never knew they sold wine kits. Quite frankly, my friend let me on the idea of Costco wine kits. But, are Costco wine kits any good?
The wine that my friend made and sent me was so good. Plus, we got to make more at my house, which was even better. So, yes, Costco wine kits are good, and they come with all the ingredients. In addition, instructions guide you through the whole wine-making process.
I must admit I was skeptical about the wine, but it tasted really good. We started talking about making more. Little did I know I’d be making the next batch of homemade wine. Let’s look more at Costco wine kits.
What is in Costco Wine Kits?
I remember when my friend called me one day quite happy and said she was sending me a bottle of wine that she’d made. I wasn’t sure how to respond because I knew she was a businesswoman. But, she told me not to worry since she’d bought a Costco wine kit.
Truthfully, making my wine seemed quite a weird thing to do the first time I heard of it. But, the idea grew on me when I came across Costco wine kits. A friend asked if she could come over with one to turn it into a fun project.
I have to admit that I was quite excited for her to get to my house. I was so curious to see the content of this Costco wine kit. She told me she had used the kits before at her house. At times, she got some good results, but it was a total flop in other moments. Either way, she had lots of fun.
She came over with a new Costco wine kit. Inside were all the ingredients we’d need to make our own wine. I got to open it and found:
- 2 5.5-liter bags of top-quality grape juice
- 2 packs of additives
- 60 wine labels
- 60 corks
- Light lemon color
- Instruction manual
This huge Costco wine kit could yield 60 (750ml) bottles of wine. I was astounded that creating so much wine was possible to do at home.
If this worked, I was never buying wine again. The only negative was she had to buy the 750ml wine bottles separately.
How Much Do Costco Wine Kits Cost?
Costco has a wide array of wine kits. For example, my friend bought the one that cost $99.99. Now, this would make us so much wine hence the hefty price. But, considering the amount of wine, it was all worth it.
The prices of wine kits at Costco are affordable, just like many other products they sell. This is a company known for only adding a small margin to prices. Their goal isn’t to earn a huge profit from sales, and Costco doesn’t advertise and saves about 2% in costs annually.
Can I Order Costco Wine Kits Online?
It’s quite possible to order a Costco wine kit online and have it sent to your home. This is what my friend did. She went to Costco wholesale to place an order, and they had a sale the first time. While it’s possible to head to the physical store, online shopping suits our busy schedules.
Shopping online at Costco is a pretty sweet deal, but it’s better to be a member. Costco has membership options of $60 or $120 per year. These are annual fees each member has to pay to shop online. Non-members can still shop, but they’ll face a 5% surcharge during checkout.
Do Costco Wine Kits Have a Shelf-life?
As my friend and I were making the wine, I had a thought pass through my mind. Does Costco wine have an expiry date? Is there a shelf-life that we should be aware of? Thankfully, my friend had done some research, which she found out.
Wine kits are long-lasting, meaning they have an extensive shelf-life. Good wine kits can last up to 20 months before it needs to be taken off the shelves. This is because some of the ingredients do lose their quality. But, not the grape juice which we need to make the wine.
Still, Costco wine kits do have an expiry date which is mandatory for all food products. It’s printed on the box, and it’s best to buy one that’s not past the expiry date just to be safe. Oxidation can occur, which then devalues the quality of wine you get when using such a kit.
In addition, it’s essential to store the Costco wine kit well when it arrives. If you plan on only making a little wine at a time, you must store the remaining ingredients properly. The best places need to be cool and dry away from any direct sunlight.
3 Hacks to Know about Costco Wine Kits
1. Bottles Come Separately
Costco wine kits have labels and corks, but you won’t find any wine bottles in the box. You have to buy the wine bottles separately.
In our case, my friend had to buy about 60 wine bottles to fit all the wine we wanted to make. Luckily, she bought them at Costco wholesale, and they didn’t cost a lot.
2. Wine Kits Include Instructions
Making your wine can be an exciting thing to do. In fact, many people are getting Costco wine kits and exploring more tastes. Thankfully, every Costco wine kit you buy has all you need to make some good wine.
Apart from the crucial ingredients, there’s also a set of instructions. It’s always important to follow the procedure outlined in each wine kit that you buy. Often manufacturers change a few things each year, which you should note.
If you miss any crucial steps, you might not love the outcome. So, keep an eye out for the procedure and follow the steps as detailed on each Costco wine kit.
3. Maintain Cleanliness
Imagine the level of cleanliness that you maintain when preparing food. You have to do the same when you bring the wine kit home. Make sure every utensil you use is clean and sanitized. Remember, this is the wine you intend to drink and even share with others.
You might have plans to leave the wine alone for some time to age. Dirty Wine-making equipment can carry germs and bacteria. If you leave the germs and bacteria to age with the wine, you might land in the hospital when you drink the wine.
So, always clean everything you use to make some good wine. Then, before you start mixing the ingredients, go the extra mile and sanitize them. That will get rid of all the dirt, germs, and bacteria.
Summing Up
Costco wine kits are an affordable option to make some wine at home. They won’t burst your pockets and are perfect when starting. The first time my friend and I made wine at my house was quite an exciting experience.
The wine kits had everything we’d need except the wine bottles to package the wine. That was a separate but not too costly purchase still at Costco.