A Blow to Wine Snobs ['Two-buck Chuck' wins wine competition]

American Thinker ^ | June 30, 2007

[John Jorsett]

It isn't exactly David slaying Goliath, but an equally unexpected victory has stunned the California wine industry. The cheapest wine in California just won top honors in one of the top wine competitions. When the national media catches-up, you will see this news elsewhere.

"Two Buck Chuck" is the nickname for the extremely inexpensive wines sold exclusively in the Trader Joe's chain of grocery stores, which specialize in upscale foods at fairly downscale prices. Produced by Bronco Winery, part of the Franzia family's wine empire, Two Buck Chuck has roiled the domestic wine industry by putting out generally quite decent wines at a price everyone can afford. I have myself been a customer, by the case. Some I have used for cooking, some I have quaffed. I particularly have favored their Chardonnay. To me, a "good wine" is a wine that I enjoy.

But I never expected to read that Charles Shaw has won the California State Fair's Commercial Wine Competition as the best Chardonnay in California. Yet, that has just happened:

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.

How is this possible? Several factors come into play here.

First, California has had a tremendous glut of Chardonnay grapes the past several harvests, with much excellent fruit simply rotting on the vines.  Over-planting happened when Chardonnay became quite a fad some years ago, only to see consumers get somewhat tired of it and move on to other more interesting varietals, particularly Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. So Charles Shaw was able to get an adequate supply of good Chardonnay grapes at a low price.

Second, way too much Chardonnay on the market has been subjected to too much aging in young oak barrels, imparting an oaky flavor. That was the fad, stoked by certain well-known wine critics. Additionally, too many winemakers have utilized too much malolactic fermentation, producing a buttery flavor. For some reason, this, too, has been quite a fad. I prefer to taste grapes more than oak, and like a cleaner flavor in my white wines. So I have not bought a lot of expensive Chardonnay.

Third, Bronco Winery has done a fantastic job driving the costs out of wine making, using its purchasing leverage to obtain the lowest costs, and operating on a huge scale. And I say, God bless ‘em. They must be awfully smart to be able to pull off this feat.

By comparison, Sunset Cellars, the tiny winery in which I am a partner (and which has won a number of top honors in this same wine competition) pays more than $2 a bottle for glass, corkage, and bottling costs, before we even begin to pay for the wine itself. Of course, we use top quality bottles and corks, and operate at such a small scale that we have no leverage at all on price. Our wines, which are hand-made, retail on average for about 10 times the cost of Two Buck Chuck. We also pay top dollar for the best grapes - no doubt at least ten times on average what Bronco pays for its Chardonnay grapes. (When we are able to get cheaper grapes of high quality, we charge less for our wine, by the way.)

Fourth, by selling directly to TJs, Bronco avoids the extra margin wholesale liquor distributors require. I am told that in states where Bronco is unable to get a liquor distribution license and has to use a wholesaler, the price goes to three dollars a bottle at retail. But this is based on industry gossip, and I can't cite any authority. I have only shopped for it in California, where the price is two bucks.

Fifth, the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition is known for being one the less wine-snobby competitions.

The California State Fair competition is dismissed by some critics as representing broad-based consumer tastes rather than the palates of true wine connoisseurs. But [G.M. "Pooch"] Pucilowski, who has organized the competition for more than two decades, said he draws judges from a number of professions, including winemakers and restaurant owners.

Even considering all these factors, it is somewhat miraculous that Charles Shaw has won this award.

Incidentally, I fully agree with Bill Franzia of Bronco, who says:

"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."

Generally speaking, restaurants sell wine at double the retail price, which makes it a luxury item with dinner. In some countries, like Italy, where wine is expected to be part of the meal, markups are much lower. Of course, this means raising food prices a bit to supply the extra income lost from wine, since many restaurants break even on food and make their real profits on the liquor sales. So the approach only works where most poeple expect to drink wine with their meals, or where a restaurant is able to make money on its food.

I hope that restaurants start taking Bill Franzia's advice. It would do the wine industry a lot of good if people could sample wines with their meals without spending $10 a glass for the privilege.

In the meantime, if you are in one of the states where Trader Joe's operates, you might consider picking up a case of their Chard - it makes for terrific summertime drinking.

And once you start enjoying Two Buck Chuck Chardonnay, give a try to some of the other fine wines out there. You will discover that there's a lot of interesting differences among various wines. There's no one "best" wine, but rather lots of interesting approaches to making this ancient and honorable beverage, including the approach of Bill Franzia, whom I enthusiastically salute.

[BluH2o]

BS ... I drink more than my share of wine. I’ve visited wineries all over the world ... Napa Valley, Australia, New Zealand, and more recently South Africa. I can tell you from personal experience that ‘two buck chuck sucks’ ... period the end. Anyone trying to pass this abysmal wine off as a great find doesn’t know crap about wine.

[ccmay]

I like the oaky, buttery flavor of some chardonnays, it does need to be balanced and I suppose there are some wines made in this style that overpower the taste buds with those flavors.

For me it depends on what I'm eating.

If it's fish or chicken in a creamy sauce, or lobster or crab, then I prefer the more buttery, toasty taste of a Chardonnay that has undergone malolactic fermentation and moderate time in oak.

For fish or chicken that is not in a creamy sauce, or with oysters or clams, I like a cleaner Chard without malolactic fermentation and a lesser degree of oak. Or a sauvignon blanc.

-ccm

[Suzy Quzy]

The cabernet is good?

[snowsislander]

BTW, kids these days don’t know what “mad dog” is. When I was a kid, MD 2020 was called mad dog. If Im not mistaken, MD stands for Mad Dog.

The Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD_20/20 gives M.D. as the initials of the producing company "Mogen David", and "Mad Dog" as a nickname.

[pissant]

I agree. Good cooking wine.

[Polybius]

'Two-buck Chuck' wins wine competition

It will now be renamed "Forty-buck Chuck".

[uglybiker]

New Zealand is where one should look for New World Savignon Blanc.

Are you sure?

[biff]

E...yeaaaaup, I enjoy a taste of the good stuff from time to time. Just remember, ‘With Ripple Wine, The Party Is Fine’!!!!!
And when ya cain’t find a six of Rip, there is always MD2020 around. A little too fruity for us coinasures but it’ll do when in a pinch.
HeHe.

[SIDENET]

I picked up a couple of bottles of Black Mountain 2005 Malbec this week at Trader Joe's based on a friends recommendation and I must say this is my new favorite. Although at $5.99 a bottle it's a bit pricey for me ; )

I love Malbec. Thanks for the tip.

[IslandJeff]

“Three Buck Chuck” in Washington State.

Useful, at least in the Cab varietal. Never tried the Chard. A good “drinker”, as opposed to having to match with a meal. Something hearty to have with cheese and other appetizers.

God Bless America.

[xzins]

Having traveled extensively through many parts of the world with the military, I’ve had opportunity to taste lots of different beers.

Heaven help me, but, if I really pick the beer I like best just to sit down and drink, I’ll pick a Shoenling Little King Cream Ale every single time. Sick, I know. But I l love the flavor.

[MacDorcha]

The system in place makes sense if your local government is a bunch of money grubbing slobs.

[Bernard]

like a Michelin's Red Guide giving three stars to a roadside hamburger stand

I've eaten at some 4-star roadside hamburger stands; this is about snobbery, not quality.

[FreedomPoster]

I like the Old Moon zinfandel TJ’s carries. Also at about that same price point. It’s one of my standard daily drinkers, I keep a case around.

[MacDorcha]

The problem with the plasitc beer keg idea is that the beer would lose ALOT of its flavor stored like that. The plasctic bottles they are now starting to use for “public” consumption (ie., and Busch Gardens) are treated special. Hell, so are the cans. This would cost even MORE money, and even though beer is cheaper at resteraunts, it’s still often priced favorably to Coke or Pepsi in many supermarkets (in Georgia for example).

The only real way to enjoy a beer is from glass (ceramic will do). Whether a headier mug, or a brisk bottle neck.

And I wouldn’t confuse a Bud with a Speckled Hen, but sometimes (like a Coke) only a Bud will do!

[FreedomPoster]

Here in GA, the liquor distributors have a lot of legislators in their pockets. Our laws on getting direct shipments from wineries are pretty arcane, but they’re better than they were. I can only join a wine club A) if I’m physically present at the winery to sign up and B) if they don’t have distribution in GA. It stinks, but at least it’s possible, which it didn’t used to be, until quite recently.

TJ’s came in a year ago or so, and was selling Chuck for $3. Because TJ’s was forced to sell it though distributors, other stores picked it up, and sold it for less. Now it sells at TJ’s for about $2.50, which, when you consider transportation costs from CA, is still pretty amazing.

[dearolddad]

How much Chuck Could Two Buck Chuck If Two Buck Could Chuck Chuck

I know the answer, however, I am sworn to secrecy.

[cgbg]

I haven't a clue when it comes to wine, so I drink beer

As the article says--the restaurant prices make that decision an easy one.

I am a cigar fanatic, and nothing irritates me more than the idiots with their noses up high insisting that only the expensive cigars can be good ones.

(If anyone cares, check out http://www.top25cigars.com to see how folks on the web rate cigars. They do a reasonable job imho.)

[Tenniel2]

I could tell you, but then I’d have to drown you in a butt of malmsey.

[AmericaUnited]

pays more than $2 a bottle for glass, corkage, and bottling costs, before we even begin to pay for the wine itself.

If you buy the Frazia or Vella 6 litter cardboard box, it is spectacularly cheap.