Posted on 06/30/2007 2:05:16 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
'Two-Buck Chuck' wins wine competition
By: BRADLEY J. FIKES - Staff Writer
Vin d'Expensive? Meritage Snooty? If that's the kind of name you were thinking would grace a winner of the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition, get ready for a shock.
Try "Two-Buck Chuck," more formally Charles Shaw, the brand beloved of bargain but palate-sensitive wine shoppers. It's sold by Bronco Wine Co. exclusively through Trader Joe's.
Shaw's California Chardonnay took first place for Best Chardonnay from California. To some in the clubby California wine community, that must seem like a Michelin's Red Guide giving three stars to a roadside hamburger stand.
The Chardonnay received 98 points, a double gold, with accolades of Best of California and Best of Class.
"Since we judge all wines totally by variety without different brackets for price, this double-gold achievement by the Bronco winemakers is astounding," G.M. Pucilowski, chief judge and director of the competition, said in a Bronco Wine Co. press release.
While the complete results of the competition are to be announced July 12, Renata Franzia, from Bronco's Franzia family received the results Thursday.
Richard Peterson, veteran winemaker and a State Fair judge for 20 years, said in the release, "We have the most open judging I know. There is nothing to bias judging. We get numbered glasses. We don't know the region, brand or price. We evaluate the judges frequently to make sure they're tops in the field. Charles Shaw won because it is a fresh, fruity, well-balanced Chardonnay that people and wine judges ---- though maybe not wine critics ---- will like."
Bronco president Fred Franzia said in an interview that customers have proven to be discerning, buying more than 300 million bottles of Charles Shaw brand wines over the years.
"The consumers are way ahead of the judges here, and now the judges have figured it out," Franzia said in the interview. And there's more of this vintage on the way, Franzia said, so there will be a plentiful supply.
Franzia's next challenge is winning over the restaurant industry. "The restaurants are overcharging consumers for wine. If we could just get restaurants to sell wine at $10 a bottle, or $2.50 a glass, or less, heaven forbid. If I can sell 'em to Trader Joe's for $2 a bottle, and they can get five glasses out of it, you'd think they could sell it for $2.50 a glass and make consumers happy."
And yes, Franzia said, Two-Buck Chuck will remain $2 ---- the price isn't going to increase.
Well, good beer is sold on tap in my experience. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good in bottles too. But I never understood how bars could serve Hefes on tap. Because the sediment yeast is part of the deal. ‘Kristall’ is just filtered hefe weissen, which is a high quality beer, but I don’t like it.
I went North too - and tried a “Berliner Weisse” in a totally wanker globe glass. Yick. German beer is all good, but it’s not necessarily drinkable. “Rauchbier” or smoked beer is interesting but I’m not gonna slame 12 of them in a night. Maybe some people do.
On my way to Trader Joe’s!
Hilarious. I had one good bottle of Shaw many years ago....then it got very nasty...I couldn’t even drink it while drunk....but that was the cab & merlot....never was a big chardonnay fan.....so maybe it is “quaffable”.
;^)
Try the Cheap Chuck “Cab” it’s as good or better than wines at 4 times the price.
Oh, another Cab, that’s better than Chuck is Crane Lake, but it sells for $3.00 to $4.00 a bottle.
Between this and high end wines going to screw caps, I love to watch the wine snobs reap what they have sowed.
Around $5. Its Czech beer.
Hehehe, I was just going to ping you, Slings :)
As far as “decent wine” goes, try Turning Leaf Merlot. I haven’t found a good white wine in my price range, however I love Beringer’s White Zinfandel. Goes great with ham and turkey for the holiday glutton fests ;)
Back when I was young and reckless, I drank some of that MD 20/20.
It's not wine, it's embalming fluid.
The synergy!
A friend of mine was a judge at that competition for years. He got some mighty fine wine - we drank a lot of it.
Ah, good times, good times...;-)
Back in late 91, got a six for about 35 cents.
Harpoon IPA is also good stuff, even better if you get in on tap at the brewery.
Free tour/samples, it's in Boston near the World Trade Center there.
I'll look around for it. Highly doubtful it will be $5 in Connecticut, can't get warm urine for that price is this state.
well, come back for a visit....and I’ll buy a few bottles.
well, come back for a visit....and I’ll buy a few bottles.
Yep, I miss you both....couple of doofi moving away....leaving me all alone. sniff sniff
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