He is also working toward his Master of Wine degree.Ĭonsumers, Andrew said, should expect little or no change in Costco's wine program. "I wanted to be free to do my own thing, to be in control of my own future."Īndrew said he has been offered a number of consulting positions, but he plans to have some time off before taking on his next job. "Essentially, it was a lifestyle choice," he said. It has even become one of the top purveyors of classified-growth Bordeaux in the United States.Īndrew, 41, a native of Scotland, was the company's global wine director, educating and overseeing Costco's eight regional wine buyers from his home base in Seattle.Įxplaining the move, Andrew said it was simply time to move on. During his tenure, Costco grew from strictly an outlet for bargain-bin brands to a powerhouse that sells a wide variety of wines from around the world, in a range of prices. Great juice at a great price.Costco, which has become one of the nation's leading fine-wine retailers in recent years, has lost one of its most influential wine buyers.ĭavid Andrew resigned last week after five years with the warehouse retailer. Alvarez-Peters said, “For wine, value seems to be most important on our members’ minds. Even Costco notices members buying more at the $8-$13 range. This is what the trade likes to refer to as “value” wines. However, there is a trend toward bottles at lower prices. Buy it if you see it.īesides Bob Betz, Costco has also utilized Dan Phillips and Grant Burge of Australia, Nick Goldschmidt of California and Australia and Sacred Hills family of New Zealand.Įveryone is talking about the depressed economy, but wine and spirits are doing well everywhere. Because of the low production and high regard, Betz wines are hard to find. Michelle alumni winemakers, Betz holds a Master of Wine degree, a rare designation awarded by the Institute of Masters of Wine in London. It was sold throughout the country, and a little went to foreign markets.” Betz is widely respected for his wines from Betz Family Winery. I developed the final blend from these base lots. So we contracted with a Washington winery to make the wine to my specifications, vineyard selections, etc. “It wasn’t a Betz Family Winery wine,” said Betz, “but I was listed as the ‘consulting winemaker.’ We have neither the space nor time to undertake a project of that dimension here at our small winery. Indeed, when my daughter and her family were in Cancun, Mexico, they bought a huge bottle (what other size could there be?) of Costco-brand vodka.īob Betz has helped Costco with a Washington state syrah under the Kirkland Signature label. Costco Signature hard liquor is sold in Costcos in other states. While Washington state allows only Washington State Liquor Board Stores to sell hard spirits, a consumer can buy hard liquor in almost all other states in other places, including grocery stores. In addition, we carry two or three items over the $12 point range.” “We try to have one red and white on the floor under $12. “We are disciplined on the number of items we carry in the Kirkland Signature program,” said Alvarez-Peters. Mostly available is a well-chosen offering of good wines from all over the world, plus an admirable selection of our own Washington state wines. When you visit your neighborhood Costco’s wine department, you will see a smattering of Kirkland Signature. In 2008, they visited Chile and Argentina. and international buyers.” Costco’s wine buyers take an international fact-finding trip every other year to increase their wine knowledge and understand the wine region. In a photo, several people were sitting around a table in Catena, Argentina. I mentioned to Alvarez-Peters that I had read the wine article in Costco’s magazine, Costco Connection.
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