What if wine was more like groceries? What if it was just another foodstuff–a staple of shopping lists and a part of healthy adults’ daily diets? Many folks, particularly those in the wine industry, believe that would be a good thing.
The United States has one of the lowest per capita wine consumption rates of any developed Western nation. (We’re nowhere near the top 10, according to a 2025 report. The US even lags behind Canada and South Africa–two countries that love their beer and that still drink more wine per person each year.)
One reason that’s often cited is wine’s haughty image. Americans see wine as a fancy-schmancy drink which is kind of intimidating and only appropriate for holidays and special meals.
Most of us don’t know much about wine, but we feel we should know more about wine in order to enjoy it properly. And so, we fret about wine pairings. We agonize over pronunciation and glassware. As a result, we end up skipping over wine entirely in favor of more approachable beverages.
But what if things were different? What if most wine was as quotidian as olive oil or orange juice? What if it was un-fussy, inexpensive, and accessible to untrained palates? Wouldn’t that be awesome?
Sometimes I think so. Then, I buy some wine at a supermarket and I’m not so sure.
Today’s wine, straight from Door #8 on the 2025 Costco Wine Advent-ure Calendar, is a generic Chardonnay from the south of France. Feast your eyes upon its blonde mediocrity.
There’s not a lot of reviews for these Costco advent calendar wines online, and tasting notes can be subjective, of course. So before I describe this wine in my own words, here’s what Costco’s supplier has to say about it.
The Label
From the producer: “This Chardonnay from Pays d’Oc presents a captivating array of flavors with vibrant notes of lemon, ripe apple, and delicate floral undertones. The wine culminates in a rich, creamy textured finish, adding depth and smoothness to the overall tasting experience.”
The Tasting
Okay, but…this wine tastes pretty much exactly like apple juice. With booze.
Medium acidity, medium alcohol, medium body. On the nose, apple juice. On the palate, apple juice. It’s pleasantly dry, with maybe a tinge of vanilla, citrus, and crushed blossom–but that is really asking the imagination to contribute a lot.
Now, this is nothing against apples. I used to eat two apples with my lunch every day when I was a kid in school, and sometimes I still do. I’ve got nothing against Chardonnay, either–even mild-mannered Chardonnay that doesn’t aspire to much besides being wet and not getting in the way of your food.
I’m also not here to pick on this sub-$5 half-bottle from Costco. It’s competently made. It’s far from nasty. It’s apparently tailored to the exact specification of a certain cadre of wine consumers that hate oak, love fruit juice, and are a bane to any winemaker who wants to produce a Chardonnay with any richness or complexity.
It’s just…not enough. Sure, not every wine needs to be challenging and inspiring. But I still want more from it than a bland and commodified grocery product. The Conductor Chardonnay went re-corked back into the fridge, from where it will shortly conduct itself into a sauté pan or a pot of beans.
Wine: The Conductor Chardonnay (2023) – Pays d’Oc IGP, France
Costco Wine Advent-ure Calendar Number: 8
Grade: C
Finish the bottle? Not if there’s something better in the house.
I’m tasting all 24 wines in the 2025 Costco Wine Advent-ure calendar! See previous reviews here.
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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