Costco Prosecco Recall Expands to Nearly 1 Million Bottles Over Shattering Hazard

When a bottle of $8 Prosecco shatters in your kitchen, it’s not just a mess—it’s a danger. That’s exactly what happened to at least one Costco shopper, and now nearly one million bottles of Kirkland Signature Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG are being pulled from shelves across twelve Midwestern states. The recall, announced November 6, 2025, by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), expands a previous September 2025 notice and affects F&F Fine Wines International, Inc. (doing business as Ethica Wines), a Miami-based importer. The issue? These bottles, sold exclusively at Costco warehouses, can break spontaneously—no warning, no trigger. Just handling them, storing them, even moving them from the fridge to the counter—could send shards flying.

What Makes This Prosecco So Dangerous?

The affected bottles are unmistakable: green glass, purple foil cap, and a bold purple label reading “Kirkland Signature Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG.” The UPC is 196633883742, and the Costco item number is 1879870. Sold between April 25 and August 26, 2025, these bottles were distributed only in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. That’s not nationwide—but it’s still a massive footprint. Nearly 941,400 bottles. That’s more than a million glasses of bubbly that could turn into a safety nightmare.

Why do they break? The CPSC doesn’t say. No official cause has been pinned to manufacturing flaws, pressure imbalances, or glass thickness. But the pattern is clear: ten reports of shattering. One confirmed laceration. And now, a second recall in two months. That’s not a fluke. That’s a systemic issue. Prosecco is a sparkling wine, yes—but it’s not Champagne. It’s fermented in large tanks, not bottles, so it typically carries less internal pressure. But something here is off. The glass is either too thin, improperly annealed, or the carbonation levels are unstable. Whatever the root cause, it’s not isolated. It’s recurring.

What Costco and Ethica Wines Are Saying

Costco, for its part, has quietly updated its recall page to list the affected item under “Midwest Locations Only.” The retailer hasn’t issued a public statement beyond directing customers to the CPSC notice. But insiders say Costco’s legal team moved fast after the first recall in September—pulling remaining stock, tightening supplier vetting, and working with Ethica Wines to get refunds processed. Ethica Wines, the importer, has set up a dedicated hotline: 786-810-7132. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday. Email: [email protected]. They’re offering full refunds—no receipt needed. Just take a photo of the bottle, throw it in the trash, and call.

“We don’t want anyone to open these bottles,” said a CPSC spokesperson in a statement. “Not even to check if it’s the right one.” That’s unusual. Most recalls ask you to stop using, not to avoid even touching. But here, the risk is too high. Glass shards can fly at speeds that cause deep cuts. One consumer reported a 2-inch laceration on their hand after the bottle exploded while being moved from the refrigerator. Emergency room visits were avoided only because the person reacted quickly. Imagine if it had hit an eye. Or a child’s face.

Why This Matters Beyond the Bottle

This isn’t just about wine. It’s about trust. Costco built its reputation on bulk value and reliability. Kirkland Signature is its crown jewel—private-label goods that often outperform name brands. But when a $8 bottle of Prosecco turns into a hazard, that trust cracks. And it’s not just consumers who are rattled. Wine distributors, importers, and even other Costco private-label brands are now under scrutiny. Are other sparkling wines at risk? What about the canned cocktails? The sparkling water? The packaging materials? This recall has triggered internal audits across multiple departments.

It also highlights a gap in U.S. oversight. The CPSC handles consumer goods, but wine falls under the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for labeling and alcohol content. Glass safety? That’s CPSC. But who ensures the glass is up to standard? No one agency has full authority. The result? A dangerous product slipped through the cracks—twice.

What You Should Do Now

If you bought this Prosecco, don’t open it. Don’t try to pour it. Don’t even hold it too tightly. Wrap the bottle in a thick towel, place it in a sealed plastic bag, and put it in your outdoor trash bin. Then call Ethica Wines. You’ll get your money back. No questions asked. If you’ve already been cut by a shattered bottle, seek medical attention immediately—and report it to SaferProducts.gov. The CPSC needs those reports to track patterns and prevent future incidents.

And if you’re shopping at Costco right now? Look at the labels. If it’s purple and says “Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG,” walk away. If you’re unsure, check the UPC on your receipt or your Costco app. Item #1879870 is the one. Everything else is safe. This isn’t a recall of all Kirkland sparkling wines. Just this one batch. But it’s a big one.

What’s Next?

Ethica Wines says it’s working with the Italian producer to identify the defective batch and improve quality control. But the Italian winery hasn’t been named publicly. That’s unusual. Typically, importers name their suppliers. Silence here suggests either legal pressure, contractual restrictions, or a supplier who’s refusing to cooperate. Either way, the buck stops with Ethica Wines.

Meanwhile, the CPSC is reviewing whether to issue a mandatory recall. This one is voluntary—but the expansion shows the company didn’t fix the problem the first time. That could trigger fines. Or worse: a lawsuit. Consumer advocacy groups are already gathering names of those injured. One attorney told me, “This is a product liability case waiting to happen.”

For now, the message is simple: don’t take chances. That $8 bottle isn’t worth a trip to the ER.