The 9 Best Costco Snack and Wine Pairings

Finding the perfect bottle of wine to pair with an entrée is a task you might already be familiar with, but your favorite snacks also deserve delicious drinks. Especially when hosting a happy hour for friends, presenting an array of small bites and the right wines to go with them is the best way to impress.

The world of wine and snack pairings doesn’t have to be limited to cheese and charcuterie. For a surprise that will delight any guest, consider serving a wider variety of snacks paired with bottles that enhance their flavors. To keep it budget-friendly, you can find the perfect items for this elevated affair at one of our favorite major grocery stores, Costco.

Certified sommelier, host of the podcast Wine Access Unfiltered, and wine-focused content creator Amanda McCrossin is a pro when it comes to pairing sweet and savory snacks with the perfect wines. To help inform your next trip to this bulk retailer, McCrossin shared nine pairings that combine a popular Costco snack with a complementary glass of vino.

Kirkland Signature Pecan Halves with tawny port

Nutty meets nutty in this pairing, and McCrossin tells Food & Wine that “the caramelized, roasted notes in pecans are basically begging for the oxidative, dried-fruit vibes of a tawny port.” 

This fortified wine is sweet and nutty with notes of caramel, peanut brittle, plum, raisins, and walnut. The sommelier explains that tawny port will “stay delicious for up to three months in your fridge,” making it easy to enjoy with sweeter snacks in the weeks to come.

Vlasic Dill Pickle Corn Puffs with Muscadet

Everyone loves talking about oysters and Champagne, McCrossin points out, but “the real MVPs know oysters’ favorite wine is actually Muscadet.” She considers this bright, crisp, and saline white wine from the Loire Valley to be an ideal pairing for briny, salty, umami-forward snacks. “When you’re talking about the tangy, sour, slightly unhinged Dill Pickle Corn Puffs, the same rules apply,” the sommelier says.

Kirkland Signature Milk Chocolate Almonds with Bugey-Cerdon

According to McCrossin’s “golden rule of pairing,” your wine should be at least as sweet as the snack you’re serving. For the sweet Kirkland Signature Milk Chocolate Almonds, the sommelier recommends “a wine that can keep pace without wearing you out after two sips,” like Bugey-Cerdon. 

McCrossin describes this slightly sweet, sparkling pink wine from eastern France as “bright, bubbly, and just indulgent enough to keep the handfuls (and pours) coming” and notes that the wine’s acidity will “keep the palate feeling refreshed.”

Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter-Filled Pretzel Nuggets with Zinfandel

The former wine director of Press in St. Helena calls this pairing a “kid snack, adult upgrade,” comparing it to a peanut butter and jelly combo. “Zinfandel’s ripe, jammy fruit cozies up to the peanut butter, while the pretzel’s salty crunch makes it taste like someone spiked your lunchbox with a California red,” she explains.

Kirkland Signature Organic Salsa with Vinho Verde rosé

When there are chips and salsa on the table, McCrossin’s instinct is to bring out the Vinho Verde. However, she details that “Portugal’s favorite ‘green’ wine is normally white, but the rosé version is perfect when [paired with] a tomato-based salsa like this one.” The sommelier adds that the zippy, fresh, and fruity notes of a Vinho Verde rosé “won’t complicate things” when paired with this slightly spicy tomato salsa from Costco.

Kirkland Signature Gouda Cheese with Alsatian Pinot Gris or German Riesling

Costco’s Kirkland Signature Gouda Cheese is mild, creamy, and imported from Holland. McCrossin notes that it craves a wine with “some lift and perfume,” recommending either an Alsatian Pinot Gris with ripe pear and smoky spice notes or a German Riesling that “delivers zippy acidity and a kiss of sweetness to cut through the richness.” No matter which option sounds better to you, the wine expert emphasizes that “both roads will deliver a great pairing.”

Kirkland Signature Microwave Popcorn with Chardonnay

“Birds of a feather do flock together,” says McCrossin, describing the buttery Kirkland Signature Microwave Popcorn and a glass of Chardonnay as “an unparalleled match.” She recommends seeking out a California Chardonnay for “a salty-sweet moment” and snagging a bottle “that’s been aged in a bit of oak to really lean into the decadent side of things.”

Imperial Garden Organic Edamame with California rosé

“Elphaba and Glinda, rosé and edamame — green and pink are a winning combo any way you slice it,” per McCrossin. She emphasizes that the edamame’s “clean, green, and earthy” characteristics blend well with “a little fruitiness” from the rosé. According to the sommelier, rosé is a great match for edamame because “it keeps things light and refreshing while still giving you deep, meaningful flavor.”

Schwartz Brothers Bakery Organic Garlic & Herb Bagel Chips with Loire Valley or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

When pairing wine with garlic-and-herb-forward flavors, McCrossin believes a “grassy, herbaceous, and citrus-laden Sauvignon Blanc has to be a part of the equation.” She suggests pairing the Schwartz Brothers Bakery Organic Garlic & Herb Bagel Chips from Costco with a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, like Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé.

The sommelier also recommends trying a crisp, bright New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with these savory snacks. Either way, anyone who tries one of these flavor-packed pairings will be satisfied.