November, 2003
Those of you who live near a Trader Joe’s have probably heard of — or maybe
tried — “Two-Buck Chuck.” That’s the popular name of the Charles Shaw
wine brand that is being sold exclusively through the fast-growing food retailer
at just $1.99 a bottle.
Shaw is taking advantage of the current glut of California wine grapes to
produce a line of inexpensive varietal wines including Chardonnay, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. The weak national economy and
over-production of grapes have forced grape growers to slash their prices
even in some top appellations.
While Trader Joe’s is not expected in Colorado until next year, we conducted a
taste test of Shaw's wines during a recent trip to California. We tried the
Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which all were priced at $2
in a suburban Los Angeles Trader Joe's.
The Sauvignon Blanc was overly sweet with little of the fruit's natural flavor. It's
not a wine that I would ever want to drink again. The reds were better, albeit
fairly simple wines. The Merlot was ripe without the unpleasant green tastes
that some Merlots can exhibit. The Cabernet had dark fruit flavors with a touch
of mocha. While I wouldn't necessarily search them out, both reds were as
good as many of the low-end wines sold at retail and in restaurants.
Given the no-risk prices, it’s worth giving these wines a taste yourself if you
can locate a bottle. You might want to serve them blind to some friends and
get their feedback before you tell them cost. But be sure to also pour
something a little pricier. Otherwise they might break out the box wine the next
time you visit.
Back to Shopping & Collecting.
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