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.

[johniegrad]

As I have said on several related threads, New Zealand is where one should look for New World Savignon Blanc.

Doesn't the airfare become cost prohibitive?

Actually, we traveled there about five years ago and have been drinking their sauvignon blancs regularly ever since. We stayed on a "farmstay" which was a large sheep ranch in a shearer's quarters made into a small apartment for guests. This was in Hawke's Bay near Havelock North and the Tuki Tuki River ran about 10 paces from the house. We would buy local lamb to grill, stop at one of the local vintners and pick up a bottle, eat local produce with the lamb, and then go trout fishing half tanked. I was there when I got angry enough with my employer that I considered working in En Zed.

The sauvignon blancs are consistent in quality and price. They are nice, light fare terrific for summertime consumption and for fish, poultry, etc. although we will drink them with anything. They're inexpensive and readily available. We drink both Hawke's Bay wines (a little harder to find) and Marlborough region wines. Next trip there I will be going to the south island.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

I don’t mind cooking with 2BC but that is about it. One of my favorite whites is under $10 a bottle and no one who tastes it believes me. The chardonnay is great for marinating skinless boneless chicken breasts in a ziplock bag overnight before BBQing them.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

...way too much Chardonnay on the market has been subjected to too much aging in young oak barrels, imparting an oaky flavor.

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,...

This writer nailed it, on both counts. I hate oaky flavors and I've moved on. I've been on a French and Italian white kick for a while and I'm loving it.

[montag813]

I had no idea Trader Joes was in so many states.

Best food store in the United States. They also have a stated policy of no Chinese content. No other national chain guarantees that.

[montag813]

I doubt they compared this Two Buck Chuck (Yes. I've tried all of its varieties several years ago.) to any even mediocre French wine.

French wine has become irrelevant because of their socialist insanity. Why should I buy a $14 French Sauvignon Blanc when I can buy a far surperior one from Marlborough, New Zealand, for only $8?

[montag813]

Methinks the Gallo's were ahead of their time when they put the screwcap on T-Bird back in the 1950s.

I had a $10 New Zealand white with a screwcap last night. It was fabulous. Does it really make any difference?

[nuconvert]

I love Trader Joe’s.
Had no idea they have a ‘no Chinese content’ policy.
Good for them!

[mykdsmom]

I like the cab, but I don't claim to be a wine connoisseur I just like what tastes good to me.

My friend and her husband are into wines though and they like the taste of the TBC cab almost as well as the much more expensive bottles they are used to buying.

[B-Chan]

I agree. While I’m no connoissueur, i fancy I do know the difference between a fine cigar and a piece of junk — and the $2 Punch I smoke tastes as good as any Dominican I’ve tried.

[mykdsmom]

I like the Old Moon zinfandel TJ’s carries

I'll give that one a try next time I make a wine run there, thanks for the tip.

[ml/nj]

Why should I buy a $14 French Sauvignon Blanc when I can buy a far surperior one from Marlborough, New Zealand, for only $8?

I don't know much about Sauvignon Blanc, but it's hard to find better Cabernet/Merlot (Bordeaux) or Chardonnay (Burgundy) than you can get from France unless you are willing to pay two or three times what the French stuff costs.

ML/NJ

[WhiteGuy]

What’s that price?

60 twice!

[SKI NOW]

"Second, way too much Chardonnay on the market has been subjected to too much aging in young oak barrels, imparting an oaky flavor."

The only possible reason to store wine in oak casks {IMHO}is to prepare the casks for aging Scotch. Try Glenmorangie.

[Uncle Hal]

TWO BUCK CHUCK is our house wine and has been since it came out.

[TexasTransplant]

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

If it weren’t for Busch my lawn would never get mowed.

TT

[Clemenza]

Back in the 1950s, Julio Gallo did several tests trying to see which sealing agent would keep the wine fresh for the longest period of time. Since cork (then as now) had a tendency to dry or catch fungi, he tried everything from balsa wood stoppers to rubber, to plastic. Finally, he came to the conclusion that the screwcap was indeed the way to go.

Unfortunately, the screwcap then became associated with Gallo's flagship product at the time, which was Thunderbird. Many wineries have only now come to the conclusion that Julio Gallo was right about the screwcap all along.

[Tenniel2]

A pal of mine is one of the organizers of a long-running techhy conference, which has been held for the last few years at a pricey venue on the California Central Coast. The budget for last year’s edition included $16 a bottle for the wine at the wrap-up dinner, and the hotel served, yep, Two-Buck Chuck, assuming perhaps that the Jolt-and-Twinkies crowd wouldn’t know the difference. One sip and the entire committee table stood up and headed en masse to the manager’s office. Ten minutes later the “oversight” was remedied.

Nothing against TBC as a known daily drinker (and it speaks well for Chuck that it was tapped as the ringer), but everything against bait-and-switch tactics by hotel catering departments.

[Doc Savage]

Pink Truck Blows! Two Buck Chuck is bottled swill!

[AnalogReigns]

This would never happen with beer.

Actually, it would depend on the style. A 35 cent bottle of Czech pils in Europe, can easily be as good or better than any microbrew pils, regardless of cost (maybe 7 times as expensive(?)), made in the USA.

[Bob J]

Hehehe...