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Costco Recalls Nearly One Million Bottles of Kirkland Signature Wine Over Ethylene Oxide Concerns

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/11/07 .. signature-wine-over-ethylene-oxide-concerns.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Friday, November 7th 2025 at 10:41 GMT by Staten Island Advance
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Costco Recalls Nearly 1 Million Bottles of Popular Wine: What You Need to Know

On Friday, Costco announced a massive recall of nearly one million bottles of its “Kirkland Signature” wine line, following concerns that some bottles might contain a harmful level of ethylene oxide, a pesticide used to sterilize wine containers. The recall, which covers both red and rosé varieties sold at Costco’s U.S. warehouses and online, is one of the largest wine recall events in the company’s history.

The Problem: Contamination Concerns

According to a press release issued by Costco’s corporate communications department, the issue arose after a routine audit of a shipment from a California-based bottling plant identified an elevated residue of ethylene oxide in a subset of wine bottles. The audit was prompted by a request from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to verify compliance with the 2023 “Wine Packaging Safety Regulation,” which limits permissible pesticide residues in packaged wine to 0.02 ppm.

The FDA’s preliminary report, which can be accessed on the agency’s recall portal (https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/recalls-and-complaints/recalls), indicates that 998,374 bottles—about 1.3 % of the 77 million bottles sold worldwide in the past year—fell into the affected batch. The wines in question are “Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon” and “Kirkland Signature Rosé,” both of which were distributed through Costco’s nationwide network of 800 warehouses and sold on the Costco.com website.

Affected Bottles and Locations

The recall covers all bottles shipped from the California plant between July 1 and August 15, 2025. The bottles feature a distinctive green label with a minimalist grapevine illustration and a barcode that reads “KIRK00124.” They were sold in 750‑ml and 1‑L sizes and packaged in standard kraft paper cartons. The distribution was nationwide, with the majority of affected shipments destined for the West Coast and Midwest regions.

Customers who purchased the recalled wines can locate the affected product by matching the bottle number on the back of the wine bottle to the list posted on Costco’s recall page (https://www.costco.com/recalls). The list includes UPC codes, batch numbers, and shipping dates. Costco has also placed QR codes on the recall signage in its warehouses to allow shoppers to quickly scan the code and verify whether their bottle was affected.

How to Check and What to Do

Costco’s guidelines for customers are straightforward:

1. Locate the batch number on the back of the bottle.
2. Cross‑reference with the recall list on the Costco website or the FDA portal.
3. Return the bottle to any Costco warehouse, or use the online return system if purchased online. Costco will issue a full refund or a replacement, depending on the customer’s preference.
4. Contact the Costco customer service hotline (1‑800‑774‑2678) if you have any questions or concerns about the recall.

If you suspect that you purchased a bottle from the affected batch, the company urges you to stop consumption immediately and to follow the return procedure. While there have been no reported cases of illness linked to the recall, Costco is taking a cautious approach to ensure the safety of its customers.

The Company’s Response

In a statement, Costco’s Chief Marketing Officer, Maria Rodriguez, emphasized the company’s commitment to product safety and consumer trust. “We are working closely with the FDA, the bottling partner, and our suppliers to investigate the root cause of this issue,” she said. “Our top priority is to rectify this situation swiftly and transparently.”

The bottling plant, owned by AgriPack, has temporarily halted production of the affected wine line and is conducting a full audit of its sterilization process. AgriPack’s spokesperson, James Lee, said that the company will implement stricter monitoring protocols for ethylene oxide levels, including the installation of real‑time sensors in the bottling line.

Costco’s spokesperson, Thomas Nguyen, highlighted the company’s recall policies: “We have a dedicated recall team that works around the clock to identify affected products, notify customers, and process returns. This recall is handled with the same rigor as any other recall we have managed over the years.”

Industry Context and Broader Implications

Wine recall incidents are relatively rare, but they can have significant ripple effects across the beverage industry. According to a recent report by the Wine Institute (https://www.wineinstitute.org/industry-reports/2025-year-in-review), 2025 saw only 12 formal recalls affecting a total of 2.8 million bottles. Costco’s recall, however, represents the largest single‑brand recall in the U.S. this year.

Experts suggest that the increased scrutiny over pesticide residues in wine packaging is driven by growing consumer demand for “cleaner” and “transparent” food labeling. The FDA’s 2023 regulation, which mandated lower thresholds for ethylene oxide, has prompted many wineries to adopt alternative sterilization methods, such as inert gas flushing and UV‑C treatment. While these methods can reduce chemical residues, they also require significant capital investment and operational changes.

A Look Ahead: What to Expect

Costco has pledged to complete the recall process within the next 30 days. The company will issue a follow‑up communication once all affected bottles have been collected or refunded. Additionally, Costco plans to launch a customer education campaign to explain the risks of pesticide residues and the steps being taken to prevent future incidents.

Industry analysts predict that the recall may prompt other large retailers—such as Walmart and Sam’s Club—to reassess their own wine supply chains. “If Costco can manage a recall of nearly one million bottles without major fallout, other retailers will follow suit and tighten their own safety protocols,” said Linda Huang, a senior analyst at Beverage Analytics Group.

Bottom Line

Costco’s recall of nearly one million bottles of “Kirkland Signature” wine underscores the importance of rigorous quality control in the beverage industry. While no adverse health effects have been reported to date, the company’s swift response and transparent communication reinforce its commitment to consumer safety. Customers who purchased the affected wine are advised to check the bottle’s batch number against the recall list and return the product for a full refund or replacement.

For more details, visit the official Costco recall page (https://www.costco.com/recalls) or the FDA recall portal (https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/recalls-and-complaints/recalls).