The Great “Two Buck Chuck” Taste Off!

Even though it costs $2.99 now the famed Trader Joe’s line of Charles Shaw wines have taken off like no other. The “Shaw” line wines currently include Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Valdiguie in the style of Beaujolais nouveau, and limited quantities of Pinot Grigio. These wines were introduced exclusively at Trader Joe's grocery stores in California at a price of $1.99 per bottle, earning the wines the nickname "Two Buck Chuck”.

The Charles Shaw label is owned by the Bronco Wine Company, headed by Fred Franzia (formerly of Franzia Brothers wines). The Bronco Wine Company produces the Charles Shaw label at their Ceres, California winery, which is not open to the public. There once was an actual, eponymous winery owned by Charles F. Shaw, which produced Beaujolais-style wines in the Napa Valley AVA. That winery went out of business, and the name was sold to Bronco in 1990.

Fast-forward to today and millions of cases have been sold through the California-based stores popping up around the country (including spots at Ward Parkway in Missouri and One Nineteen in Leawood, Kansas). Having recently visited the Missouri location (the Kansas store cannot sell alcohol based on their archaic state laws) I thought I might grab a bottle to see what all the fuss is about … more on the taste test in a moment.

Note to self: shopping at Trader Joe’s on a Sunday afternoon is not advised. The crowds were stupid … and I mean that is most literal way! People were purchasing fake flowers and a 12-pack of beer (both of which could have been bought at any other store) and waiting in line for 20 minutes … who does that? So back to the task at hand: tasting wine!

The idea was to see if I could tell A) which wine was the Charles Shaw and which was the “similar bottle” as well as B) which wine I would prefer to drink. I am not an expert but I am quite knowledgeable on wine and tasting. My sense of smell is above average and after numerous years of sampling, sipping and spitting I have a pretty good idea of what’s what!

So the wines were purchased: a bottle of 2010 Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa & Sonoma California) at $2.99/bottle and a 2009 Cartlidge & Browne Cabernet Sauvignon (North Coast meaning Napa and Sonoma, California as well) at $9.99/bottle (I could not find any other bottle of wine at $3 that I would recommend using for the comparison).

Both bottles were opened and poured in another room by the Mrs. so I could not see what was from either bottle. Same amount of liquid in identical wine glasses.

The results:

•        Color: Both were ruby red translucent with a washed out rim of color on both wines (Not surprising for 1 to 2 year old vintage)
•        Smell: Both had a rich Cabernet scent … a bit of earth, cedar and spice but one of the glasses had a bit brighter scent than the other (Let’s call that glass RIGHT)
•        Flavor: My suspicions were confirmed: RIGHT was fruitier in a very California (or Aussie) fruit-forward kind of way. Both were soft on the finish but RIGHT was a bit smoother than LEFT. LEFT was a bit drier (more of the style I liked and was hoping for)

So my guessing began … millions of cases sold, fruitier and soft on the finish led me to believe RIGHT was the Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chuck and LEFT was the Cartilage & Brown. Suspicions confirmed! I was correct. Having guessed correctly I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the Two Buck Chuck fared against other Cabernet. It’s not a Napa Valley big boy but it is a decent $3 bottle of wine for Wednesday night with burgers or pizza … so now I get it!

Will I purchase it again … maybe? I think I am ok with spending $10 to $12 on a bottle but for mass gatherings where non-wine drinkers will be in attendance I now have a suitable offering for those occasions as well as a good fruity base for my next batch of sangria!

Feel free to do your own taste test and let me know what you think!

Cheers!

They Beaujolais Nouveau is/has arrived!

At one past midnight on the third Thursday of each November, from little villages and towns like Romanèche-Thorins, over a million cases of Beaujolais Nouveau begin their journey through a sleeping France to Paris for immediate shipment to all parts of the world. Banners proclaim the good news: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! "The New Beaujolais has arrived!" One of the most frivolous and animated rituals in the wine world has begun!

By the time it is over, over 65 million bottles, nearly half of the region's total annual production, will be distributed and drunk around the world. It has become a worldwide race to be the first to serve to this new wine of the harvest. In doing so, it has been carried by motorcycle, balloon, truck, helicopter, Concorde jet, elephant, runners and rickshaws to get it to its final destination.

It is amazing to realize that just weeks before this wine was a cluster of grapes in a growers vineyard. But by an expeditious harvest, a rapid fermentation, and a speedy bottling, all is ready at the midnight hour. By French law, Beaujolais Nouveau is to be released no earlier than the third Thursday of November.

Beaujolais Nouveau began as a local phenomenon in the local bars, cafes, and bistros of Beaujolais and Lyons. Each fall the new Beaujolais would arrive with much fanfare. In pitchers filled from the growers barrels, wine was drunk by an eager population. It was wine made fast to drink while the better Beaujolais was taking a more leisurely course. Eventually, the government stepped into regulate the sale of all this quickly transported, free-flowing wine.

On a more technical note, the wine is strictly speaking, more properly termed Beaujolais Primeur. By French and European rules, a wine released during the period between its harvest and a date in the following spring, is termed primeur. A wine released during the period between its own and the following years harvest, is termed nouveau. Well, enough of that!

Apart from the fanfare, what makes Beaujolais Nouveau so popular? And especially in the U.S. where consumption of red wine is less than 30%? Simply put, Beaujolais Nouveau is as about as close to white wine as a red wine can get. Due to the way it is made -the must is pressed early after only three days- the phenolic compounds, in particular the astringent tannins, normally found in red wines, isn't there, leaving an easy to drink, fruity wine. This, coupled with the fact that it tastes best when chilled, makes for a festive wine to be gulped rather than sipped, enjoyed in high spirits rather than critiqued. As a side note, it makes a great transitional wine for anyone wanting to move from white to red wines.

Finally, the race from grape to glass may be silly, but half the fun is knowing that on the same night, in homes, cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and bistros around the world, the same celebration is taking place. It hasn't the pedigree to be a classic wine, but it is always good.

Join us on Thursday, November 15 (from 9 a to 8 p) for your first samples of Beaujolais Nouveau!