Charles Shaw
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The Charles Shaw winery in the United States is known for its "extreme value" wines produced in California.
These wines are currently Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and most recently Shiraz varietals, all from California vineyards. They are distributed exclusively by Trader Joe's grocery stores, and in California sell for $1.99. Because of this, the Charles ("Chuck") Shaw wines are affectionately known as Two buck Chuck.
Due to the three-tier system, in other states the price ranges up to around $4. Trader Joe's says that a Charles Shaw Beaujolais is forthcoming.
The Two Buck Chuck is an example of the recent trend of wine drinkers seeking the greatest value. These wines have been rated higher than wines costing considerably more in blind taste tests, but since the composition is constantly changing based on wine and grape sources, it is not especially consistent.
In June 2004, the 2002 Charles Shaw Shiraz won a double gold medal at the 28th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition.
Ownership
The Charles Shaw label is owned by the Bronco Wine Company, headed by Fred Franzia (no business relationship to Franzia wines). There once was an actual, eponymous Charles Shaw winery, dedicated to producing Beaujolais-style wines in the Napa Valley, but it went out of business and the name was sold to Bronco. Bronco achieves its low prices in part by taking advantage of the overplanting of wine grapes in California in the 1990s, but also by growing huge quantities of its own at extremely low cost. The result is put in a respectable, 750ml, corked package. People who might shy away from bag in a box, screwcap, and jug wine can drink cheap wine without the stigma attached to cheap wines' usual packaging. Shaw's wines are generally unexceptional but unobjectionable, quite suitable for use as a cooking or table wine.
External link
- Trader Joe's web site on Charles Shaw (http://www.traderjoes.com/new/chuckshaw.asp)
- Chawls Shaw rumor disclosure (http://www.snopes.com/business/market/shawwine.asp) by snopes.com