Charles Shaw 'Two Buck Chuck'

[Shannon Essa]

When I tasted 2 Buck Chuck I thought two things:

1) Well it's a little better than what they serve on airplanes.

2.) I'd definitely drink this at a party if I was already drunk.

[Mark Sommelier]

When I tasted 2 Buck Chuck I thought two things:

1) Well it's a little better than what they serve on airplanes.

2.) I'd definitely drink this at a party if I was already drunk.

The remedy for any crappy wine you are served at a party is ice cubes and 7-Up or club soda.

[beans]

When I tasted 2 Buck Chuck I thought two things:

1) Well it's a little better than what they serve on airplanes.

2.) I'd definitely drink this at a party if I was already drunk.

The remedy for any crappy wine you are served at a party is ice cubes and 7-Up or club soda.

...or the nearest planter.

[lala]

whoopsie, ludja, you're right! Essensia is from Quady... it's a bit richer than a Beaumes de Venise, and that orange flavor is great with any mild dessert (sponge cakes, etc.), or berries.

but the Vin de Glaciere from Bonny Doon is terrific, too!

[fresco]

It's unlikely that I'll ever sample Two Buck Chuck, and I can appreciate that it is probably both variable in quality and never really very good.

But I do wonder whether the wide availability of a low-priced table wine might actually be a good thing for the wine industry in that it could encourage more people to drink wine regularly.

[tommy]

the SB was surprisingly inoffensive. a bit of acidity. no finish to speak of. did i detect a note of banana? i'm probably nuts.

didn't even stand up well to non-spicy sushi. a quaffing wine for sure. perhaps good for a "two buck chuck" party, just for the novelty. otherwise, hardly worth the calories or liver damage.

it's "3 buck chuck" in NJ.

looking forward to the reds.

[TrishCT]

Haven't tried 2 Buck Chuck yet, but the publicity is piquing my curiosity... Currently my fave low priced wine is Yellow Tail Shiraz ($3.99 a bottle on sale, $4.99 regular priced).

Ever since that report about the expert wine testing where white wine with food coloring beat out distinguished red wines...I don't judge a wine by price or prestige... Subjective good taste, drinkability AND lack of headache is what counts to me.

[HungryChris]

OK,

In spite of anything I said in defense of Three Buck Chuck in the past. I have to admit that I opened a bottle of merlot last night and poured it right down the sink. It tasted like cheap grape juice and nothing like the first few bottles that I have sampled. I had noticed a slight variation of taste in the past, but nothing like this. This was just plain awful.

Edited January 18, 2004 by HungryChris (log)

[Craig Camp]

OK,

In spite of anything I said in defense of Three Buck Chuck in the past. I have to admit that I opened a bottle of merlot last night and poured it right down the sink. It tasted like cheap grape juice and nothing like the first few bottles that I have sampled. I had noticed a slight variation of taste in the past, but nothing like this. This was just palin awful.

Now that's what I call a tasting note!

[tommy]

i'm with chris. the merlot was undrinkable. i opened a cab next to it, and found it at least a *little* drinkable. however, i chose to not cook with either, and both bottles are still 90% full and sitting in my kitchen. the chardonnay is next in line.

[HungryChris]

Tommy,

I am told by friends that the Cab is a much more uniform and a more stable product. After my experience with the merlot, I won't be buying that stuff again.

It's too bad though, cause my first two tastings where damned good.

[winesonoma]

2 buck chuck is one of 53 finalists out of 2300 at New York tasting http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews.../8940207.htm?1c

Edited June 17, 2004 by winesonoma (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Whats the general consensus about using Charles Shaw as a cooking wine?

[adoxograph]

I like poaching pears in it. I don't feel like I'm wasting a wine I'd like to be drinking, and the flavor is pretty nice.

[tommy]

Whats the general consensus about using Charles Shaw as a cooking wine?

i suppose if one likes the flavor, there wouldn't be a problem. i found them undrinkable.

[Craig Camp]

Whats the general consensus about using Charles Shaw as a cooking wine?

It's better than many famous restaurants use.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Whats the general consensus about using Charles Shaw as a cooking wine?

My rule of thumb is to never cook with something I wouldn't drink.

Never, ever.

[rich]

The Merlot and Chardonnay are undrinkable and "uncookable" and at price at any time. The 2002 Sauvignon Blanc is quite pleasant but simple, the 2000 Cabernet is a good value and the 2002 Gamay Beaujolais and Shiraz are worth the price for an informal party or bar-b-que.

Edited June 17, 2004 by rich (log)

[KOK]

My uncle who lives where there are no Trader Joe's likes the 2 Buck Chuck (okay, now $3.29 in Alexandria, Va) and I bought several bottles for him.

Does anyone know why the wine is so cheap? I've heard it has to do with a divorce, and that it's the winery nose-thumbing wine snobs.

My uncle likes it and has some wine knowledge, but I've read that the wine stinks. Any thoughts/opinions?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Gifted Gourmet]

by way of explanation to your question ...

What's "Two Buck Chuck?"

The affectionate nickname, "Two Buck Chuck," is inspired by its price ($1.99) in Trader Joe's stores in California.  Our guess is someone thought that since the wine is so inexpensive, it deserves a less formal nickname.  "Charles" is so $8.99.

even better: from CBS News

Even the New York Times wine critic sees it as a sort of blessing.

"It's okay. It certainly rates as well as any other $2 bottles of wine. Of which there are almost none," said wine critic Frank Prial.  And now, between toasts, "Two Buck Chuck" has become the stuff of urban legend, including the story that an airline that had gone out of business by over-purchasing the wine for its first class passengers.

[SuzySushi]

It's what is known in the retail industry as a "loss leader." It draws shoppers into the store, and they purchase other items at higher, more profitable prices.

[Daniel Rogov]

No need at all to cry for Charles F. Shaw who thought up the idea of the wines known affectionately (or with passionate hatred) these days as "Two Buck Chuck".

Shaw, taking advantage of the wine glut in California, started buying up grapes and bulk wines in (if memory serves) 2001 and dealing them largely through the chain "Trader Joe's". Everyone is making good money on these wines and to the surprise of quite a few the wines compete nicely with many in the $5-8 dollar range and people continue to buy them by multiple cases. No loss-leaders these! In fact, considering the millions of cases that have been bought - some good profit here.

I have tasted the Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc wines in the series. All earned acceptable scores of 80-84. At that price, unbeatable and that seems to be what a good many people want to drink.

Anticipating a question - Nope! Not wines that I would buy for my personal drinking pleasure.

Edited May 31, 2005 by Daniel Rogov (log)

[Trishiad]

it's always our second or third round when our old friends are in town (thanksgiving is a drunken event at our house). we start with the yummiest but then scoot over the the less expensive, easy-to-drink-frivolously two buck chuck.

[Keith Talent]

Two Buck Chuck tastes like it should cost at least three. The current Chardonnay is actually very drinkable. The reds all have that underfermented home brew flavour. It'd be better if it were six or seven buck chuck.

[jbonne]

actually, the Wine Enthusiast broke down the numbers on how you could more or less make the economics of TBC work, even at $2 or $3 a bottle. needless to say, all getting-what-pay-for rules apply.