Last Thursday — cold lake wind, gray skies, classic West Michigan mood — I stopped at the Muskegon Costco after a meeting. The wine section looked like it had been hit hard by Thanksgiving shoppers. But in the middle of the chaos, a stack of bottles with a metallic compass on the label grabbed my eye.
Timeline Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022. Score: 93 points. Price: $19.99.
A combination you don’t just walk past.
So naturally, I picked up a bottle. And naturally, I opened it that same night.
The Flavor Story
Right away, the nose felt like it had been training for varsity: black cherry, blueberry, cocoa, all lined up with the intensity of a football defensive line ready to punch a hole right through dinner.
On the palate?
Tight, focused fruit. Concentrated flavors. That unmistakable Napa pedigree — ripe but not jammy, polished but not soft. The kind of Cabernet that reminds you why people fall in love with Napa in the first place.
The tannins?
Firm. Grippy. Confident. They don’t apologize for being Cabernet tannins — and I respect that. It tastes like a wine that should cost $40–$60, not one sitting under a warehouse light surrounded by pallets of laundry detergent.
Why the Price Is So Insanely Good
Here’s what most people don’t realize:
Costco doesn’t just buy cheap wine — they buy smart wine.
They lean into producers with excess volume, private-label opportunities, or one-off contracts that let Costco keep the price low while still delivering quality.
Timeline fits that pattern. Behind the scenes, this is a producer tapping into some serious Napa vineyard sources — the kind of fruit that might normally end up in premium bottlings. But when a winery needs to move volume or clear a vintage, Costco becomes the place to quietly unload a killer deal.
And because Costco’s buying power is stronger than a front-row rugby scrum, they lock in a price that makes wine geeks everywhere do a double take.
The Score That Matters
Wine Enthusiast gave the 2022 vintage 93 points.
That is not faint praise. That’s “we tasted a lot of wines, and this one impressed the panel” territory.
In the Napa Cabernet world, 93-point wines don’t show up at $19.99. They just don’t.
Unless… Costco.
The Problem (for you)
Costco rotates inventory like crazy.
If you see Timeline once, that doesn’t mean you’ll see it again.
There’s no safekeeping, no regular allocation, no “oh, it’ll be here next month.”
When it’s gone — it’s gone.
And knowing how fast West Michigan wine folks jump on a deal, this stack will not survive long.
Should You Buy a Case?
If you like Napa Cabernet?
Yes.
If you like wines that drink like double their price?
Absolutely.
If you ever plan to entertain, host a steak night, watch the sunset over the Grand Haven pier with a proper glass in hand, or simply enjoy a Tuesday night with a wine that outperforms expectations?
A case isn’t excessive — it’s smart planning.
Consider this the grocery-store version of catching a steelhead at the Muskegon River on your first cast: rare, satisfying, and definitely brag-worthy.
Final Thoughts
Timeline 2022 is the best $19.99 Napa Cab I’ve seen in months.
It overdelivers. It tastes legit.
And it reminds me why I still walk every aisle at Costco — because every now and then, you find a bottle that rewrites what’s possible at this price.
If you see it, grab it.
Correction: grab it and walk briskly.
