5 Of The Rarest Wines Sold At Costco

When it comes to wine, Costco might be best known for well-priced pinots and everyday Kirkland brand bottles, but there are a few secrets in this section of the store. At the right location (particularly the Burbank, California Costco Business Center) and online, the warehouse retailer sells bottles that rival what you'd find at high-end wine boutiques. These rare finds don't come with flashy displays. In fact, most shoppers walk by them without realizing they just passed a $500 bottle. Others require pre-order on the company's website and a scheduled pickup. 

Costco's rarest wines are oddly both accessible and elusive. These limited-production bottles arrive quietly on shelves without an announcement and can sell out quickly and discreetly. From Bordeaux's oldest chateaus to California's most prestigious vineyards, these bottles show up thanks to Costco's unique direct-buying model from exclusive wine producers and auctions. It has impressively low markups on rare wine, too — most bottles and collections are only marked up by 8 to 15%, while in the industry, most other sellers markup wine by around 30 to 50%, as reported by CaseWineLife. 

Whether you're a committed wine collector or a shopper with deep pockets, Costco can be your gateway to snagging a rare, high-end bottle or a collection that would be difficult (or more expensive) to procure elsewhere. Be warned — although it's surprisingly easy to get your hands on rare wine at Costco, the price tags are not for every budget — the lowest-priced option on our list is $249. 

No other wine at Costco has made as much noise as the Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon; it's one of Napa Valley's most exclusive wines. The estate, located in Oakville, produces only a few hundred cases each year, and nearly all of it goes to its members. Founded in the early 1990s by real estate agent turned vintner Jean Phillips, the winery became an instant sensation after its 1992 vintage received 99 points from renowned wine critic Robert Parker.

The wine itself is full of dark berry notes, like blackberry and dark cherry, and has noticeably smooth tannins. As they age, these flavors evolve and become more complex, with notes of tobacco and cedar. 

Screaming Eagle has become one of the most collectible wines in the world. Members of the winery are given priority for first releases, typically starting around $1,200 a bottle, but resale prices typically double or triple; that's why its appearance at Costco is worth noting. A bottle of the 2018 vintage was spotted at the Newark, California Costco for $3,699 in 2023, and at the Novato, California location, a three-pack of the wine made its way onto shelves last year, priced at $8,599.

Some of the most expensive wines at Costco are the collection of rare wine sets, one of which is the 2019, 9-pack Duclot Bordeaux Collection. This set brings together some of the top names from the wine capital of the world, all from a highly regarded vintage. It's available as a presale in California only, and priced below market for what's inside.

Duclot is a wine broker in Bordeaux that curates a prestigious set every year. Each bottle of red is from the same year, yet the collection showcases different appellations of Bordeaux and wine styles. Each year varies, but this set includes world-famous names Lafite-Rothschild, Château Margaux, Haut-Brion, Mouton-Rothschild, Cheval Blanc, d'Yquem, and Pétrus.

All bottles come in their original wooden case, and naturally, quantities are limited. This is a great option for collectors, as it eliminates a lot of individual sourcing. For $13,999, it can be yours, and this is actually a fair price — another online wine retailer lists the rare set for $14,999. This set must be picked up at the Costco Burbank Business Center.

No other name is better known for Champagne than Dom Pérignon — and if you're a fan, this 24-bottle set might be for you. While the $17,499 price tag might feel jarring, what you get is impressive. This Dom Pérignon Collector's Edition Vertical includes 24 vintages spanning from 1976 to 2012. It's a rare release that brings together nearly four decades of one of the Champagne region's most iconic houses, all in original 750 ml bottle format and sold in a wooden case.

Each bottle reflects the house's signature style, but each vintage allows you to taste the differences between growing seasons. This isn't something typically available at retail, and access through Costco offers a straightforward way to acquire an entire vertical without sourcing bottles individually.

Dom Pérignon vintage Champagne is produced by Moët & Chandon, using grapes from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards (translation: the best of the best). As a brand that has long been associated with prestige, this set is clearly geared towards more serious collectors aggressively building out their cellars — you probably wouldn't want to buy this for a casual New Year's gathering! This set is available for presale and only in California. 

Château L'Évangile is a Bordeaux winery located on the southeast Pomerol plateau, and it doesn't make much wine annually. Production typically hovers around 2,000 to 3,000 cases per vintage, making it an impressive find on Costco's website for $249. This 2021 release, sold through Costco, is offered as an en primeur bottle, which means the wine is purchased before it is bottled, and delivery will be scheduled post-purchase and bottling.

Like many Bordeaux reds, this one is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This vintage received an impressive 97-point rating from James Suckling and 96 points from Antonio Galloni. This medium-bodied red brings notes of black cherries and chocolate, with a touch of nuttiness, spice, and violets.

The Château L'Évangile is a great starter bottle for a wine collector who is just beginning their cellar. The Costco pricing is fair, too — other online wine retailers sell the same bottle for around $199 to $253. This bottle is only available for online purchase at Costco, with shipping limited to California only. 

We're finishing off strong with Costco's most expensive wine listing on its website. Listed at $84,999, this Château Pétrus 11-Pack Vertical Set is for the most serious collector. The set features 750ml bottles from the years 1971 to 1981, allowing you to get a taste of history from one of Bordeaux's most well-known producers. Pétrus makes Merlot-based wines, with unique terroir from grapes grown on the blue clay of the Pomerol plateau. Despite being globally recognized, Pétrus is an exceptionally small vineyard that only produces around 3,000 cases of wine per year.

Some vintages from the winery have been sold for $15,000 per bottle, so the $84,999 price tag for 11 bottles doesn't seem unjustly steep, but rather, an investment. On Wine Searcher, the average price of a bottle from Pétrus is just over $5,500 (excluding tax), but older vintages, especially from the '70s and '80s, can garner a higher price, hence why the 11-bottle set is so expensive. The 11-set vertical is not a common find on other online wine retailers, and to collect each of these vintages, they would likely need to be sourced individually. Costco's presale offering of this set is available in California only and comes packaged in a custom wooden case.